In the second ODI, a tenacious Australia will put the Indian team’s heavy dependence on all-rounders to the test, but Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will remain the main focus as they attempt to reverse the course of events with series-saving performances in Adelaide on Thursday.
The first ODI of the three-match rubber was a disappointing experience for India, as their batting unit lost by seven wickets due to several stoppages in Perth that hampered their momentum.
The bowling team did not impress either, although to be fair to players like Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel, the batters only handed them 136 to defend.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc will once again fiercely probe the “corridor of uncertainty” at the Adelaide Oval, so the difficulties won’t be any different.
Since the Australian summer is just getting started, the country’s new tracks would have bounce and lateral movement, which can deflate the best in the business.
Matt Kuhnemann, the left-arm spinner from the last game, has been released by the home team, and veteran leg-break bowler Adam Zampa has returned after his child’s birth. Alex Carey, who was participating in a Sheffield Shield match, is also back to full fitness.
There is a lot of pressure on Rohit Sharma to succeed since a player like Yashasvi Jaiswal is warming the bench. The former captain arrived at the Adelaide Oval practice arena at least 45 minutes before some of the other players joined him for an optional net session.
Additionally, head coach Gautam Gambhir was the only member of the coaching staff to be at the nets. Dayanand Garani and Raghavendra, two throw-down experts, were with him. After a while, the other coaching staff arrived.
Rohit entered the first net, which was moist, and the throw-down deliveries were just flying from length.
Coach Gambhir instructed the team’s senior player to switch to a different net, where he spent a considerable amount of time, because he was worried that he would get injured. Gambhir’s eyes were fixed on Rohit while he batted.
Virat Kohli took the day off following a lengthy net session on Tuesday, while Rohit was the epitome of concentration. Despite his well-known intensity, Kohli has been extremely laid back on the current tour and has been spotted indulging autograph and selfie seekers with ease.
“They both look in very good touch to me. They batted really well yesterday every net session, their approach has been excellent. So I feel they are really batting well, to be very honest,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said on eve of the second ODI.
Medium pacer Hardik Pandya, who can reach 140 clicks, is missed in Australia, demonstrating once again how his absence always throws off the balance of the white-ball setup.
By the end of the series, it will be evident whether Gambhir’s strategy of batting until No. 8 with Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy in the setup is feasible.
“Someone like Hardik is always a big loss. But if we look at the positive side, Nitish is getting some game time and we’re trying to groom him,” said Kotak.
“Every team needs an all-rounder, and we’re trying to develop him in that role. So it’s a good preparation in that way. But yes, any team would miss a player like Hardik,” he added.
According to this team management, NKR is a “project” that cannot be allowed to go out of control.
Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav, two bowlers with superior primary (bowling) talents than Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana, both toiled diligently at the nets.
However, the norm indicates that many people who put in extra time before a game are unable to participate. However, Kuldeep and Prasidh, because of his added pace and bounce, can slot in some place.
The shorter side boundaries at Adelaide Oval, however, might work against Kuldeep. If the wrist spinner misses the length, he could be punished square of the wicket, but he is a genuine wicket-taker, a skill that Washington is still a little unfamiliar with.
Squads:
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
