Australia’s playing lineup for the second Test match against India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25 has been confirmed. The match will take place at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide. The Pat Cummins-led team is under extreme strain following a crushing 295-run loss in the first Test in Perth, while their chances of qualifying for the next World Test Championship final are now in doubt. Considering that the club hasn’t lost a home game, the Day-Night Test is the ideal chance for the hosts to get back to winning ways.
Scott Boland has been called up to replace Josh Hazlewood, therefore they have made one alteration to their roster. The 35-year-old has taken 35 wickets at an average of 20.34 in 10 Test matches.
Cricket Australia revealed that Hazlewood will miss time due to a “low grade left side injury.”
Although the injury isn’t as severe, the team management isn’t yet willing to take a chance on him.
Since the 2023 Ashes, Boland has not participated in Test cricket. Although he has been a part of the plan for a long time, Boland never received his due share of opportunities because Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins were always accessible.
Conversely, Mitchell Marsh kept his place in the starting lineup. Given that the cricket player had a minor ailment, there were questions over whether the all-rounder would be available for selection. The team management was considering benching him for the second Test in favour of uncapped Beau Webster, who was called up to the squad following the Perth Test, because he has performed well in the nets but has not bowled at all.
Currently, Marsh will only be used as a specialist hitter, and the hosts’ fourth seam option may be Marnus Labuschagne. Other than that, Australia hasn’t altered their lineup and would like Usman Khawaja, Labuschagne, and Steve Smith, their senior hitters, to take charge and start scoring runs. They utterly failed in that area during the West Test.
Australia Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
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