India were dominant in their win over Australia in Nagpur and are now favourites to repeat this performance when the two sides lock horns in the second Test match at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi.Â
This match will also mark Cheteshwar Pujara’s 100th Test match for India and there will be added focus on India’s batting order for this match. KL Rahul could well get another go, but he is skating on thin ice and Shubman Gill’s form cannot be ignored for a long time.
Shreyas Iyer has been passed fit and should slot straight back into the playing XI. He could well replace Suryakumar Yadav. The rest of team combination should remain the same considering the dominant performance of the side in Nagpur.
Australia, on the other hand, have plenty of selection headaches ahead of the match. Mitchell Starc looks fit, while Cameron Green is still touch and go. There is a lot of clamour over the inclusion of Travis Head and he could replace Matt Renshaw in the squad. It will be interesting to see if Australia include a third spinner in the squad.
India vs Australia Predicted XI
India Predicted XI
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami
Australia Predicted XI
Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy
India vs Australia Match Details
Match: India vs Australia, Test 2
Date & Time: February 17, 9:30 AM
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network and Hotstar app
India vs Australia Fantasy Team
Captain – Rohit Sharma
Vice-Captain – Usman Khawaja
Wicketkeeper – KS Bharat
Batters – KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith
All-rounders – Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel
Bowlers – R Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy
India vs Australia Delhi Weather and Pitch Report
The Arun Jaitley Stadium could well have a surface that is low and slow. There will not be much bounce and the surface is expected to assist the spinners. It will also be a surface where the batters might not get quick runs and they need to dig in and be patient. The weather is set clear and there will be plenty of sun shine that will further break the pitch down. Toss could be a crucial factor here as the pitch will continue to assist spinners as the game progresses.
India vs Australia Match Prediction
India have been sensational at home in Test cricket and Australia looked completely out of sorts in the first Test. They need to filter out all the external noise and look to bat better in this Test. However, India have all the bases covered and they will be a difficult to beat in home conditions.
