India vs Australia 1st Test preview: Virat Kohli eyes perfect start, hosts aim to overcome injury woes

In the pre-match press conference before the start of the Day Night Test between India and Australia, Virat Kohli stressed on the need to start on a good note. In the 2018/19 series, India won the opening game in Adelaide but lost the next one in Perth. Since the momentum of having started well was sustained, India managed to win the Boxing Day Test for the first time in 37 years and they went on to become the first Asian nation to win a Test series Down Under. Two years later, the mission remains the same. The goal is the same but the circumstances have changed. Virat Kohli and the Indian cricket team resume their quest of toppling Australia in their own backyard but the challenge will not be so easy this time.

In 2018/19, the hosts missed a certain Steve Smith. Now, with an average of over 84 and two ODI tons in his bag, Steve Smith is back to torment the Indians yet again. In 2018/19, India won the Adelaide Test with the normal red ball. With the Pink Ball, it will be a different situation altogether. Australia have never lost the Pink Ball Test while India have played only once and that was in 2019 against Bangladesh. The SG and the Kookaburra balls are different but the nature of the Adelaide deck, as well as twilight and other external conditions will play a huge role in the outcome of the game. With both sides having power-packed bowling, this Test might also not go into the fifth day.

India – Settled but conditions challenging

The Indian cricket team have already announced their playing 11 for the match in Adelaide. Prithvi Shaw will open with Mayank Agarwal while Wriddhiman Saha will be the keeper in place of Rishabh Pant. The omission of KL Rahul is a surprise considering he was the leading run-getter in IPL 2020 as well as the man in form for the limited overs series. However, the Indian batting ticked all the boxes in the Pink Ball warm-up and they are strong on paper. The bowling is at a different level, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in prime form.

Australia – Injury after injury

For the hosts, it seems injuries are part and parcel of the build-up to any series. David Warner will miss the first Test and that is a massive blow considering that he is one of the leading run-getters in Pink Ball Tests. However, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne will form the core of the middle order while the quartet of Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins will be expected to rattle the powerful line-up.

Match details

Match: India vs Australia Pink Ball Test

Venue: Adelaide Oval

Time: 9:30 AM IST

Statistics

Australia have won all seven pink ball Tests at home while India have won two out five Tests in Adelaide in the last 20 years.