What India should do in order to win the Test series in Australia
India will be playing a high-voltage and significant Test series against Australia in December 2018. The four-match Test series will be played after the three-match T20I series and will be followed by a three-match ODI series. As Australia will compete in the series in absence of their two best batsmen, Steve Smith and David Warner, India have a great opportunity to win their maiden test series in Australia. However, there are some chinks in India's armours which need to be addressed before the Test series.
Here are three tactical decisions and team changes India must make to give themselves an opportunity to make history in Australia.
#3 The Openers
If India are to win the Test series against Australia in Australia, Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul should walk on the field as openers.
KL Rahul has recently scored a fighting and under-pressure Test century against England and looks as if he's back on the right track.
On the other hand, Prithvi Shaw is performing in almost every matches against any opposition in List A and First Class cricket. Prithvi Shaw has forced the selectors to keep an eye on him.
Though Murali Vijay has scored some runs in County, he should be given some more time for practice and refreshment.
#2 Team Combination
India should play the whole Test series with 6-5 team combination, i.e. six proper batsmen and five proper bowlers.
Australia are weakened due to the absence of Smith and Warner, especially their batting unit. Hence, if India want to win Test matches there, they should look to dominate their batting. For that, India should play with five proper bowlers.
Six proper batsmen should be enough for India in the Australian conditions, as they also have R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who can bat as lower-order batsmen.
#1
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Ashwin-Ravindra Jadeja Doublet
Though the traditional belief is to play just one spinner in Australia, India should go with two spinners, Ashwin and Jadeja.
Having Ashwin and Jadeja in the team has multiple benefits. Ashwin and Jadeja are dangerous together. Jadeja bowls wicket-to-wicket and creates pressure on the batsmen, by forcing them to play all the deliveries.
On the other hand, Ashwin mixes his stock delivery with different variations to trap the batsmen.
Since Australia will be missing two great batsmen against spin, the Australian batting unit will surely face difficulties against two great spinners.
Likewise, Ashwin and Jadeja also provide strength to India's batting unit, as both of them can bat and score runs. So, if both of them play together, India can come to the battlefield with a well-balanced XI.
So, based on the above team changes, the ideal starting XI for India would be:
Openers: KL Rahul and Prithvi Shaw
Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane
Wicket-keeper: Rishabh Pant
All-rounders: Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja
Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma/Mohammad Shami