On Wednesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the playing XI of the Indian team for the first Test of the four-match series against Australia, which is scheduled to be commencing s at the Adelaide Oval from December 17. It will be India’s first Day/Night Test on overseas soil. Prithvi Shaw has been included in the playing XI, while Wriddhiman Saha will play the wicket-keeper’s role over Rishabh Pant as the BCCI took to Twitter to announce the XI.
The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli will return to India after the Adelaide Test to attend the birth of his first child, and the captain confirmed in a press conference on Wednesday that Ajinkya Rahane will be the captain of the team in the remaining three Tests in his absence.
UPDATE🚨: Here’s #TeamIndia’s playing XI for the first Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia starting tomorrow in Adelaide. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/WbVRWrhqwi
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 16, 2020
Talking about the playing XI, Kohli said, “Firstly we have had mutual understanding and respect over the years. We have had great partnerships batting together which is based on trust and understanding of what needs to be done for the team. Jinx (Rahane) has done a tremendous job in the two practice games that have happened.”
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He further elaborated, “He seems to be very composed and knows the strengths of our team and how we need to go about things,” Kohli had said on the eve of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. Actually, the way we have played our cricket has been a collective effort of the whole team.
India captain also added, “It is a cultural effort and not only down to me strategizing in front of people. It is the whole team that is important to it. We already know the template that we play with and how we want to go about things.”
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Earlier, the Indian team played two three-day practice games in preparation for the Test series. While Kohli sat out in the second Day/Night warm-up match, Rahane led the Indian team as Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant smashed centuries.
