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India announce playing XI for Boxing Day Test vs Australia; Shubman Gill to debut

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Dec 25, 2020, 01:20 PM IST
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Photograph:(Agencies)

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The Indian cricket team on Friday announced their playing XI for the Boxing Day Test against Australia, scheduled to start from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, as the visitors brought in the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant while handing debuts to youngsters Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj. 

The Indian cricket team on Friday announced their playing XI for the Boxing Day Test against Australia, scheduled to start from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, as the visitors brought in the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant while handing debuts to youngsters Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj. 

Virat Kohli (paternity leave) and Mohammed Shami (injury) will not be available for the rest of the series as Jadeja and Siraj respectively replaced the duo in the playing XI while Gill replaced out-of-form Prithvi Shaw and Pant came in for Wriddhiman Saha.  

India recorded their lowest Test total of 36 runs in the second innings of Adelaide Test where Australia thumped India by eight wickets inside three days to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

“Each and every individual in this team is really capable of doing well, so it’s really a challenge for the captain and management to select the 11,” Rahane told a video conference on Friday.

“We had just one bad hour (in Adelaide). It’s about staying positive, backing your own ability and batting in partnerships.”

Earlier on Friday, Rahane’s Australian counterpart Tim Paine said that India, without Kohli and others, were more than capable of turning the tables in their favour. 

“The moment we take our foot off the pedal, and think we’re going all right (performances can slip),” Paine told reporters. “A huge focus of ours ... has been winning after winning.

“We’ve been fantastic in how we’ve prepared for this game.”

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is normally jam-packed during Boxing Day Tests but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the crowd has been limited to 30,000.

 “It’s going to be different isn’t it,” Paine said.

“I think we’re just lucky to be playing a Boxing Day test at the MCG.”