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India vs Australia 1st Test Preview: India eye domination as Australia look to break Asia hoodoo

India will look to continue their scintillating run in the longest format of the game as they are set to host Australia in the first Test of the four-match Test series.

Published: February 22, 2017 12:01 PM IST

By Abhishek Nandwani

India vs Australia 1st Test Preview: India eye domination as Australia look to break Asia hoodoo

India will look to continue their scintillating run in the longer format as they host Australia in the first Test of the four-match Test series on Thursday in Pune. Virat Kohli and Co. will be hoping to extend their run to 20 matches.

Australian selectors included a four-man spin attack in the 16-man squad for India tour and will be interesting to see their final team composition. Even before Australia landed here, coach Darren Lehmann was a worried man and said that his side is yet to work out a plan to foil India captain Virat Kohli beyond bowling well and is hoping for some luck against him. Also Read: Top 5 Indian players to watch out for

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India have already won 4-0 against England and they also prevailed in the solitary Test against Bangladesh. They will be now be looking to push themselves more forward but should be well aware that Australians prevail when challenged. Former Indian offspinner Harbhajan Singh made it clear that to avoid a white-wash, Australia will have to be on top of their game and even then, they should expect a 3-0 defeat.

Last time the Aussies were here, they were battered 4-0 in 2013 and Steve Smith will be hoping to avoid a repeat as he will be well aware that India will come hard at them. For Australia, it will be trial by spin.

Selectors have opted for the same side that played against Bangladesh for the first two Tests and apart from Kohli it will again be Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane playing a key role in the batting order once again. Another challenge for the visitors will be to tackle the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who have been in outstanding form since last year and they will be Kohli’s go-to men in the series. Wriddhiman Saha is back in team after he missed the matches against England, and scored a century after his return against Bangladesh. He also can play crucial role for India in the middle order if for any chance India’s top order fail. Also Read: We will treat Australia as any other team: Anil Kumble 

On the other hand, the visitors will be heavily dependent on David Warner. Skipper Smith will be another key man for the visitors. However, Australia have few youngsters in Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb but the Indian conditions will be a big test of their temperament. Despite the presence of four spinners in the side along with Glenn Maxwell as the fifth spinning option, Australia’s biggest hope in the bowling department would be left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc, along with Josh Hazlewood.

Moreover, the visitors would like to better their records in Asia and will find it tough to stop India’s juggernaut under Kohli’s inspiring leadership.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Karun Nair, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund & Hardik Pandya

Australia: Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (wk), Steve O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Ashton Agar, Usman Khawaja, Jackson Bird, Mitchell Swepson, Glenn Maxwell.

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