Australia vs West Indies 2nd Test: Match Preview, Team News, Playing XIs and Live Stream info
Traditionally, Australia and West Indies have played out many enticing encounters, over the years, in the Boxing day Test match in Melbourne. During their prime, the Carribean side were one of the successful sides to come out on top, in Melbourne.
However, fast forward to the present day, the West Indies no longer are the side which once dominated world cricket. They are far from the aggressive side who dominated their opponents, with those bouncers and the powerful batting lineup, and do not show any signs of improvement.
The huge defeat in Hobart, only goes to shows how poorly West Indies cricket has been progressing in terms of their attitude and approach towards the game. More than the players, the Carribean side’s Cricket board has to undergo an enormous change in terms of their management.
Meanwhile, hosts Australia will be a relaxed side going into the boxing day Test, as they have already taken a 1-0 lead. But spinner Nathan Lyon has asserted that Australia will show no mercy on the visitors, and would want to press on the advantage further.
The visitors have to pull out a miraculous performance if they have to even come close to winning the Test match. The crowd, will surely expect some fight from the visitors, unlike the Hobart drubbing.
Broadcast Details
Date: December 26-30, Saturday
Time: 5.00 A.M IST(23.30 GMT)
TV Channel: Star Sports 1, SS HD1.
Online Stream: www.starsports.com
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne.
Team News
Australia
The big news for Australia is the return from injury of their star batsman Usman Khawaja. The left-hander scored a brilliant 100 in the ongoing Big Bash league, in his opening match for Sydney Thunder. Khawaja’s return from injury will mean Shaun Marsh has to sit out, despite scoring a mammoth century in the first Test.
West Indies
Shannon Gabriel’s injury in the first Test in Hobart, means Carlos Brathwaite will make his debut for the visitors, in the historic venue. Captain Jason Holder has suggested that he might play Devendra Bishoo. But it is unlikely that he might get a place in the playing XI.
Predicted line-ups:
Australia: Joe Burns, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith (c), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill (wk), James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite, Rajendra Chandrika, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Jason Holder (c), Carlos Brathwaite, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Jomel Warrican.
Pitch & Conditions
The pitch for the boxing day Test, had to prepared in a short time, due to the ongoing Big Bash tournament. But the curator has suggested it would be a traditional Test match pitch, assisting seamers early on, and also the batsman. The weather doesn’t seem the favour the cricketers, as rain is forecast for the first day, with clear skies expected for the rest of the Test match.
Recent Form
Australia: W-W-D-W-W
West Indies: L-L-L-L-L
Key Stats
1. The last time West Indies played in a boxing day Test at Melbourne, they lost by 352 runs.
2. Josh Hazelwood has now taken 51 wickets in 2015 thus far, joint second alongside Stuart Broad.
3. Adam Voges averages a whopping 436 against West Indies in Test matches.