There were lots of selection blunders which cost India the series in overseas conditions. Indian selectors and team management should look to not repeat these mistakes for the Australia series.
Though India has a few memorable Test wins in Australia, They have never been able to win a series Down Under. The upcoming series is an excellent opportunity to beat Australia on their own turf. The current Australian team is not as strong as their earlier compatriots and have been weakened by the absence of Steven Smith and David Warner.
Now, let us have a look at the best playing XI India can select for the Test series in Australia.
#1 Openers - Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul
The Indian opening pairs for the last few foreign tours have struggled to give India a stable start. The non-ability of the openers to score has put a lot of strain on the middle order.
Kl Rahul recently scored a brilliant 149 in the final test against England. He had scored his maiden test century in Australia. So he is a top selection for opening in Australia.
Given the Recent struggle of Shikhar Dhawan and Murli Vijay, Selectors should look to take a risk and give a chance to Rohit Sharma open in the opening slot. He has played many memorable knocks in ODIs in Australia and could be a dark horse selection.
#2 Middle order - Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane
Cheteshwar Pujara will come in at number 3. He is a coming after a brilliant 132 in the England series. He will look to be more consistent with his performances. He has all the qualities to become the backbone of the Indian squad.
Virat Kohli is by far the best batsman in the team for a long time now. He will hold the key to India’s success. He has to play at his best again for India to have a chance to win the series.
Though Rahane had a torrid time in England, He has been India’s most dependable performer in overseas tours. He would have to get back in form and support Kohli if any tough situation arises.
#3 Wicketkeeper and all-rounder - Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja
He has become the first Indian keeper to score a century in any one of Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and England. He has given a glimpse of his immense talent and has definitely earned his place in the team ahead of the struggling Dinesh Karthik. He has shown lots of grit and character. He has all the ingredients to become a keeper in the mould of Adam Gilchrist.
Ravindra Jadeja should be the all-rounder for the Australia tour. He recently showed his prowess in the last test against England. He played a brilliant inning of 86 while shepherding the tail to restrict England’s lead to a slender one. He has a decent batting average in tests and has a good enough record with the ball. Though he has not played much in Australia, he should also be considered for the spinner’s spot ahead of Ashwin.
#4 Fast bowlers - Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami
It would be a bold choice for the selectors to select four seamers. The recent records of the Indian fast bowlers make it tough to leave anyone out. They have been the shining light for the Indian Team for the last few away tours.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the best opening bowler any team can have. He has the ability to take early wickets and gain early advantage for his team.
Jasprit Bumrah is the X-factor in this bowling line-up and can bowl match changing spells. His line and length can trouble the best of batsmen.
Ishant Sharma is the leader of this bowling line-up and also the most experienced. He can operate as a workhorse and bowl long spells when required.
Mohammed Shami is an aggressive bowler and is always looking to take wickets. He always bowls with good pace and can extract bounce from the pitch. He is an asset to any team in their bowling department.
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