After a resounding defeat at the hands of India in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed that they will be retaining the same squad for the upcoming second Test in Adelaide, starting on December 6th.
Despite the 295-run defeat in Perth, the Australian side is banking on its current players to turn things around and level the series in the pink-ball day-night Test.
“The people in that change room are the same people that will be in Adelaide,” McDonald was quoted by the ICC as saying.
“It is always a consideration, wherever you go in the world, in terms of the personnel you pick for conditions,” he added, hinting that their squad selection strategy is driven by adaptability to the playing surface.
India’s stunning victory in Perth came despite their shaky first innings, where they were bowled out for a meagre 150 runs. However, the Indian bowlers produced an exceptional display, dismissing Australia for just 104 in response, giving India a slim lead. India then capitalised with a stellar batting display in the second innings to set an imposing target of 534 runs.
Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who is recovering from a series of fitness concerns, will remain in the squad despite being somewhat underdone ahead of the series opener. McDonald acknowledged that Marsh had been carrying a few fitness issues, including a hamstring injury that had hampered his bowling capabilities throughout the year.
Despite this, Marsh’s performance in the first innings was deemed satisfactory by the head coach, who expressed optimism about Marsh’s fitness and contributions in the next match.
“We’ll wait and see. We knew that Mitch was slightly underdone coming in, but I thought the performance in the first innings was satisfactory,”
McDonald said.
Marsh picked up two wickets in the first innings but struggled with consistency in the second, conceding runs during crucial phases. The head coach also spoke about the team’s morale, stating that despite the crushing defeat, the squad is mentally strong and will work towards making a solid comeback.
“I think morale is pretty good. I think this team is really good at the highs and lows; it’s quite a level team, so we’ll be somewhere in the middle of that,”
he added.
India’s victory was marked by standout performances from multiple players. Jasprit Bumrah, the stand-in captain, led from the front, picking up eight wickets across both innings, including a five-wicket haul in Australia’s first innings. Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar also chipped in with vital contributions.
The batting front was headlined by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored an impressive 161 in the second innings after a first-innings duck, and Virat Kohli, who silenced critics with a century, helping India post 487/6 declared. Their performances ensured that Australia was set a near-impossible target of 534 runs, one that the hosts struggled to even come close to.
Australia, in their second innings, faltered early, losing key wickets at regular intervals. Despite valiant efforts from Travis Head (89 off 101 balls) and Mitchell Marsh (47 off 67 balls), the Indian bowlers were relentless, skittling out the Australians for 238.
Reflecting on the loss, Australia captain Pat Cummins described the outcome as “fairly disappointing,” noting that despite the team’s solid preparations, “not much went right” for them.
“It is what it is. After a loss, you want to get back on the horse pretty quickly. But we’ll take a couple of days’ rest and get into Adelaide,”
Cummins stated at the post-match presentation.
Despite the setback, Cummins maintained confidence in the team’s preparation and ability to bounce back in the series. The second Test at the Adelaide Oval, which will feature the pink ball, presents a fresh challenge for both sides. Historically, Australia has thrived in day-night Tests at Adelaide, but India also boasts experience and success in this format.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, now 1-0 in favour of India, has seen a significant shift in momentum. The Indian side, coming off a humiliating home series whitewash against New Zealand, has bounced back in spectacular fashion, and with regular skipper Rohit Sharma rejoining the squad, they will be looking to continue their strong performance in the second Test.
Rohit Sharma, who missed the first Test due to the birth of his second child, has started practising in the nets and will be back to lead the side in Adelaide. This comes as a major boost to India, who will be aiming to build on their lead and apply further pressure on the Australians.
The upcoming match at Adelaide will be a crucial one for Australia, as they look to avoid going down 2-0 in the five-match series. Retaining the same squad indicates the selectors’ faith in the players’ abilities to adapt and come back stronger, but the team will need to significantly improve both with bat and ball to challenge a confident Indian side.
With both teams eyeing different objectives—India aiming for an early series lead and Australia looking to level the playing field—the Adelaide Test promises to be a high-stakes battle under the lights.
Support Our Journalism
The global Indian Diaspora and Australia’s multicultural communities need fair, non-hyphenated, and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. The Australia Today—with exceptional reporters, columnists, and editors—is doing just that. Sustaining this requires support from wonderful readers like you.
Whether you live in Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America, or India you can take a paid subscription by clicking Patreon and support honest and fearless journalism. LINK: https://tinyurl.com/TheAusToday
