IND vs AUS 2nd Test: Pat Cummins and co., the mighty Aussies have been rattled by hosts team India and they need to do something real quick if they want to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Team India are currently the defending champions and they look like absolute favourites to outplay the visitors one more time. The Aussies were extremely critical of the Nagpur pitch and how it was prepared, but India silenced everybody by registering a first-innings total of 400 on the same surface.
Many former Australian players were critical of the final playing XI and how it was chosen. Ricky Ponting and Mitchell Johnson suggested dropping David Warner, whereas former Aussie skipper Steve Waugh was baffled by the team management leaving Travis Head out of the mix. The Aussies know that they have to counter spin pretty well if they are to win the series, but they are also eyeing some major changes before the Delhi Test match. Before travelling to Delhi, the Australian cricket team trained at Nagpur and what caught eyeballs was Marnus Labuschagne keeping wickets. Interestingly, Marnus Labuschagne also bowls and he is an option for Pat Cummins as far as the spin bowling department is concerned.
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Peter Handscomb is also a wicketkeeping option and he also trained with the keeping gloves in Nagpur, but Labuschagne keeping wickets has left everybody curious. Travis Head looks like a potential candidate who might return in the next Test match. Alex Carey was brilliant with the gloves, but he could not make any major contributions with the bat. Much to Australia's respite, Mitchell Starc too will return to the final playing XI and this will reduce Cummins' load as a bowler. Former Aussie player Mitchell Johnson had also suggested that Matt Renshaw must open the innings with Usman Khwaja. Australia are hanging by the thread as of now and they will have to go for a win in the Delhi Test match if they want to defeat India and stay alive in the series.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (C), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner.
