3 things India need to do right to beat Australia in the 2nd BGT 2024-25 Test ft. batting under the lights
Ahead of the first Test, India weren't expected to pose a real challenge to Australia. But as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has often proven over the years, the two-time World Test Championship finalists know a thing or two about beating the Kangaroos in their own backyard.
Action in the series will now shift to Adelaide, where the two sides will lock horns in a day-night encounter. The contest will commence on Friday, December 6, and both teams will have gone through some personnel changes.
Australia have won 11 out of their 12 pink-ball Tests at home, and their record at the Adelaide Oval is excellent. The visitors will be up against it despite the fact that Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are expected to return to the lineup.
So what can Rohit and Co. do to preserve their winning advantage in the series, and maybe even extend it? It won't be easy, but India have plenty of talent in their ranks and should be able to put up a fight.
India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal.
On that note, here are three things India need to do right to beat Australia in the second Test.
#3 India must bat carefully under the lights
Batting under the lights has been a major challenge in pink-ball Tests, and this one isn't likely to be any different. If Australia bat first and are bowled out before the end of the day's play, India will be confronted with a serious challenge.
The "twilight period" has triggered many collapses over the last few years, and the visiting batters will need to exercise a lot of caution. Getting through to Stumps should be the mode of operation, with batting being significantly easier in the first session.
Moreover, with the new ball being more deadly than usual, the top order can't afford to play any loose strokes. And if India end up losing a cluster of wickets, they must still attempt to get through the tricky phase.
#2 Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj need to be ready to perform the holding role
Harshit Rana was impressive on his Test debut in Perth, but he has lost his radar at times. Both in the first Test as well as in the warmup game, the young fast bowler was taken for a few boundaries when he went in search of wickets.
Rana is an immensely talented bowler who has shown the ability to adapt on the fly. The Adelaide Test could demand him to plug away on a length, letting the ball and the pitch do the rest of the work. If he goes full and short, the likes of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh will waste no time in putting him away, giving the Aussies an edge.
Mohammed Siraj, meanwhile, turned in an improved display in Perth. But he has been loose at times, and India will hope that he too places emphasis on hitting the right areas.
#1 Rohit Sharma's captaincy can't afford to be defensive
In India's last two series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, particularly the latter, Rohit Sharma's captaincy has come under the scanner. The Indian skipper has been happy to push his fielders out at the slightest sign of a counter-attack, and that was one of the biggest reasons behind the team's whitewash at the hands of the Kiwis.
Bumrah did an excellent job as captain in Perth, and the returning Rohit needs to carry the side forward in the same vein. Even if his bowlers go for a few boundaries, he needs to keep enough fielders in catching positions and wait for the opportunities to come.