India vs PM XI Live Updates: Rohit Sharma will be looking to make the most of whatever time he gets in the middle having sat out the first Test.
India vs PM XI Live Score Warm-up Day 2: Persistent rain washed out Day 1 of the warm-up match between India and the Australian Prime Minister’s XI. Both sides have agreed to play a 50-overs-a-side contest on Day 2 and the Indian batters in particular will be looking to make the most of it to get accustomed to the pink ball ahead of he second Test in Adelaide. India lead the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-0 but now have the daunting task of facing Australia in the Adelaide pink-ball Test, a fixture that the latter has dominated.…Read More
India took a lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a dominant and decisive 295-run victory at the Optus Stadium in Perth. It was a result of the bowling in particular firing in spectacular fashion, while the batting pulled up its socks in the third innings and rode a fine opening partnership and twin centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli to one of the best batting innings India have had overseas in recent memory.
It will be a matter of keeping those good habits going for India, but there remain some questions to be answered, which Indian fans might get a look into as the team takes on the PM-XI. One of these is to do with the return of captain Rohit Sharma, who will be back amongst things after missing the first Test to be at home for the birth of his second child. With KL Rahul and Jaiswal forming a great and patient partnership to open the batting, putting together 201 runs in the second innings, and Rohit looking out of form and rusty during the New Zealand series with bat in hand, the combination that India go with in Adelaide could be significant.
The pink-ball match might give an idea about what India are considering, whether that means KL Rahul batting at three or even Rohit potentially demoting himself to the middle order if Shubman Gill is also fit for these matches. All the same, India won’t want to reveal their cards too early to Australia, and keep them guessing about the combination they go with.
Another matter of consideration is whether Washington Sundar will keep his role in the team. While he has been in solid form with bat and ball both, Ravichandran Ashwin might offer more threat with spin with the pink ball and on a more spin-friendly track in Adelaide. While Sundar was partially chosen for his superior batting ability and suitability to Australian bounce, Nitish Kumar Reddy looked very strong with the bat and might be more than capable as a number seven for the team. Ashwin will want to play himself into consideration.
On the Australian front, the Prime Minister’s XI will be coached by Tim Paine and captained by New South Wales all-rounder Jack Edwards, but it is a team made largely of fresh faces and new names for international cricket fans. It’s a chance for some of the best prospects in Australian domestic cricket to face off against world class opposition in front of a home crowd at the Manuka Oval, and in doing so gain priceless experience and advice from players such as Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.
Teenager Sam Konstas and wicketkeeper Oliver Davies are two names who will be looking to shine, while the bowling will be headlined by the always-dangerous Scott Boland who has shown his quality in his limited Test match chances. There are four players who won the U-19 World Cup campaign for Australia in South Africa, including Konstas and player of the match in the final, Mahli Beardman.
It should be an intriguing contest as India look to get accustomed to the pink ball at the Manuka Oval, with the shortened match not an issue for providing plenty of entertainment and a lot of takeaways for both teams to carry into the future.
