NEW DELHI: With the return of captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, Team India will be back to full strength in the second Test, a pink-ball affair, against Australia at Adelaide Oval starting Friday.
Rohit missed out the opening Test in Perth to be with his family for the birth of his second child while Gill was sidelined due to a thumb injury. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel are expected to make way for both Rohit and Gill.
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After India emerged victorious in the first Test in Perth, fans are eager to see if India can maintain their momentum or if Australia will stage a strong comeback.
Adelaide has been a successful venue for the home side, who have won all seven day-night Tests they have played there.
Players from both India and Australia are on the cusp of making individual records. Here’s a look at the milestones that can be made during the day-night contest.
Bumrah closing in on a half-century against Australia
Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who captained the team in the first Test in Rohit’s absence, delivered match-winning spells of 5/30 and 3/42 to secure India’s commanding 295-run victory. With an exceptional record against Australia – 40 wickets in 16 innings at an average of 18.80 – Bumrah is just 10 wickets away from reaching the 50-wicket milestone against the Aussies.
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Steve Smith and Virat Kohli both eye for their 10th century against each other
Virat Kohli’s return to form with a brilliant century in the first Test brought much-needed relief to Indian cricket fans. He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of six Test centuries in Australia, marking his seventh Down Under ninth overall against the Aussies in the format. The second Test presents Kohli with an opportunity to take his tally to double digits. Steve Smith also has same number of tons against India in Test cricket.
Shubman Gill nears milestone against Australia
Having recovered from a thumb injury, Gill impressed in the practice match and will carry the confidence of his previous performances in Australia when he steps onto the field at the iconic Adelaide Oval. The right-handed batter has scored 444 runs in 11 innings against Australia at an average of 44.40. However, his average rises to 51.80 in Australia, with 259 runs in 6 innings. Gill is now just 56 runs away from completing 500 Test runs against Australia.
Ashwin on the verge of another milestone
After missing out on a spot in the playing XI for the first Test, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to remain on the bench for the second game of the series. However, if he plays, a significant milestone awaits him. Ashwin is just 14 wickets shy of joining the elite club of 550 Test wickets, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest spinners in cricket history.
