The BCCI on Wednesday announced the playing XI for the Day/Night Test in Adelaide, which begins on Thursday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia, which begins at the Adelaide Oval from December 17. It will be India's first Day/Night Test on overseas soil.
Prithvi Shaw has been included in the playing XI, while Wriddhiman Saha will play wicketkeeper's role over Rishabh Pant as the BCCI took to Twitter to announce the XI.
While Virat Kohli leads the side, Ajinkya Rahane remains the vice-captain. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav will form the three-member pace attack while Ravichandran Ashwin is the sole spinner in the XI.
Kohli will return to India after the Adelaide Test to attend the birth of his first child, and the captain confirmed in a press conference on Wednesday that Ajinkya Rahane will be leading the side in the remaining three Tests in his absence.
"Firstly we have had mutual understanding and respect over the years. We have had great partnerships batting together which is based on trust and understanding of what needs to be done for the team. Jinx (Rahane) has done a tremendous job in the two practice games that have happened. He seems to be very composed and knows the strengths of our team and how we need to go about things," Kohli had said on the eve of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval.
"Actually, the way we have played our cricket has been a collective effort of the whole team. It is a cultural effort and not only down to me strategising in front of people. It is the whole team that is important to it. We already know the template that we play with and how we want to go about things," he added.
Earlier, the Indian team played two three-day practice matches in preparation for the Test series. While Kohli sat out in the second Day/Night warm-up match, Rahane led the side as Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant smashed centuries.
Here's the India XI for the Pink-Ball Test in Adelaide:
Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
