Wasim Jaffer selects playing XI for 2nd IND vs AUS Test; no place for KL Rahul
Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer has revealed the playing XI of his choice for the second Test between India and Australia. He chose to make two changes from the winning combination, excluding vice-captain KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav.
Rahul has struggled in the longest format for a while now. He had a poor away series against Bangladesh and was dismissed in tame fashion by debutant Todd Murphy in the first Test in Nagpur.
The Karnataka-born batter's last Test fifty came in the second contest against South Africa in January 2022.
My India XI for Second Test:
Rohit (c)
Gill
Pujara
Kohli
Iyer
Bharat (wk)
Jadeja
Axar
Ashwin
Shami
Siraj
What's yours? #INDvAUS
Jaffer opted to bring in Shubman Gill in place of Rahul. The in-form batter had to sit out the series opener, with no spot at the top of the order and Suryakumar filling in at No. 5 in the absence of Shreyas Iyer.
Rohit Sharma undoubtedly retained his place following a sublime hundred in tricky conditions in India's massive victory.
Middle-order stalwarts Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli also marked their presence, with the former in line to play his 100th Test match. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Shreyas has completed his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and has joined the squad in Delhi, leading to him being named in the playing XI at his usual No. 5 spot.
KS Bharat also found a place in Jaffer's playing XI despite an unflattering performance in his debut Test. The Andhra-born wicketkeeper scored eight runs in the first Test, but put up a solid display behind the stumps, especially against the spinners.
Jaffer chose to stick with the same bowling combination that claimed 20 wickets in just 95 overs in Nagpur. The bowling unit encompasses the dangerous spin trio Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja, who also showed their prowess with the bat.
Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Siraj were far from the spotlight in the first Test, but carried out their tasks perfectly, leading to their retention.
Wasim Jaffer's playing XI for the second Test against Australia
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Siraj.
Special praise for a special player! 👏 👏
Head Coach Rahul Dravid lauds @cheteshwar1 as he gears up for his 1⃣0⃣0⃣th Test 🙌 🙌
#TeamIndia | #INDvAUS https://t.co/e4PO7MRSST
The second Test between India and Australia will begin on Friday, February 17, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The Men in Blue hold a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.
Will Team India introduce any changes to their playing XI for the second Test against Australia? Let us know what you think.
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