India have announced their playing XI for the first Test against Australia starting Thursday in Adelaide. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) tweeted out the playing XI that includes Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal, who are likely to open the innings, R Ashwin as the lone specialist spinner, and the pace trio of Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah in addition to the usual suspects. Wriddhiman Saha was picked ahead of Rishabh Pant as the wicket-keeper.
India XI for 1st Test: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
Cheteshwar Pujara, captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane occupy their usual positions of three, four and five respectively while Hanuma Vihari was picked as the sixth batsman.
India have gone with experience on the bowling front with the pace troika of Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
Mayank and Shaw were picked as designated openers even as Shubman Gill, who hit a half-century in the pink-ball warm-up match has to wait for his Test debut.
Moreover, there was no place for Pant, who had scored a breezy 73-ball 103 not out in the same warm-up game in Sydney.
The first Test, starting Thursday at the Adelaide Oval, will be a day-night affair. Skipper Kohli will leave for home after the first Test on a paternity leave and Rahane will take charge as captain from the second game onwards.
The remaining three Tests will be played in Melbourne (December 26-30), Sydney (January 7-11) and Brisbane (January 15-19).