Australia’s squad for the Bengaluru Test remains unchanged

After beating the No.1 Test team by 333 runs in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia will field an unchanged playing XI into the second Test that starts at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium tomorrow. While the weather forecast has predicted scattered rainfall during the 5 days, both the teams are sweating it out in the nets for now.

Captain Steve Smith confirmed earlier today what was obvious in the wake of his team’s massive win at Pune last week, that no changes were needed despite a decidedly different pitch being prepared in Bengaluru. All the batsmen contributed in the first Test, and the spinners brimmed with confidence, hence no question of changes aroused, unless it was for an injury.

Despite the fact Team India has lost just one of its last 20 Tests on home soil, the hosts have come under some scrutiny from the local media after their defeat in Pune. Much of it was sparked by the sight of a handful of Australia players working in the nets on what would have been day five of the Pune Test, But the India players instead took to the nearby hills for a team bonding retreat.

Smith highlighted the weight of expectation that hangs over team India after the first Test. “I think they will feel under a little bit of pressure,” Smith said in the pre-match press conference. “Obviously going into this series, all I heard was four-nil to them. So they’re one down and need to come back.

Also read- 5 Boxes Team India needs to tick to win the Bengaluru Test

“We’re one win away from retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, so things can happen pretty quickly here,” the rather confident Australian skipper said.

Australia XI: David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (C), Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Steve O’Keefe, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Indian captain Virat Kohli, on the other hand, said that they have been pondering over more than a couple of combinations and will give out the final XI only at the toss.