India Vs Australia: Here is the probable India XI for Bengaluru Test

Bengaluru : Underpressure following their humiliating defeat in the first Test in Pune, Virat Kohli-led Team India would be eager to bounce back against Australia in the second match, starting Saturday (March 4).

Trailing by 0-1 in the four Test series, India will be locking horns with an upbeat Australia at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

India's aggressive skipper, Kohli, would be desperate to play like No.1 ranked team in the world and give Australians a run for their money.

Team India suffered their first defeat after a gap of 19 Tests following shambolic 333-run loss at the hands of Australia in the opening Test at Pune.

The hosts were outclassed by the visitors in every department of the match which lasted for less than three days.

Team India will now be eyeing to win the second Test match and level the series 1-1.

As there were a lot of negatives for hosts in the Pune Test, skipper Kohli would be hoping to start afresh and get back to winning ways against an unpredictable Australian side.

But, considering Kohli's performance at M Chinnaswamy, which happens to be the home ground for the 28-year-old skipper's Royal Challengers Bangalore, Team India would emerge as a force to reckon with in the next match.

Kohli would consider making a couple of changes in the playing XI for Bengaluru Test, keeping the condition of pitch and players' performances at Pune in mind.

Following was India's playing XI in Pune Test: Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Jayant Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

Here is how India's Playing XI might look like against Australia in the second Test in Bengaluru:

OneIndia News

1. KL Rahul

Despite getting good start, the young Karnataka batsman threw his wicket away in the first innings of Pune Test.

Rahul's (64) dismissal opened the floodgates for India as the hosts crumbled in the first innings and were restricted to 105.

He scored 10 in the second innings as India were bundled out for 107 and eventually lost the match by 333 runs.

Therefore, team would be hoping from the local lad to play a fine innings at M Chinnaswamy Stadium and silence his critics with his bat as he'll once again open Indian innings in Bengaluru.

 

2. Murali Vijay

Like Rahul, he too had a forgettable outing in Pune Test, but the right-handed batsman will once again be opening the Indian innings in second Test.

Vijay scored 10, and 2 in the two innings to put his side in jeopardy at the very start of the Indian innings.

The Tamil Nadu batsman has been the best opener for India in recent times and his patient knock against Bangladesh in the one-off Test match, where he scored 108, was a testimony to the same.

Thus, he'll have to take some lessons from his previous performances and forget whatever happened in Pune to provide India, a solid start.

 

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

There will be a lot of expectations from this permanent batsman at No.3.

Pujara may have failed to impress with the bat in Pune, but he would still take confidence from his 31-run-knock in the second innings in Pune and would to score big in Bengaluru.

His domestic performance has also been exceptional so far, and would be eager to replicate that against Australia in Bengaluru as well.

 

4. Virat Kohli

The aggressive India skipper and batting mainstay would be hoping to bury the shocking



performance in Pune and come back stronger in Bengaluru.

Kohli scored 0 and 13 in the last game, which could be rated as his worst batting figures in the recent past.

Therefore, Team India would want this highest scorer across formats in 2016 to score big in Bengaluru and settle some scores with the Aussies.

 

5. Ajinkya Rahane

The right handed batsman will come in to bat at No. 5 and the team would be hoping from their most dependable batsman to play another big knock.

The 28-year-old Mumbaikar cemented his spot in the side with a gritty 82 against Bangladesh in Hyderabad.

Rahane justified his selection after getting preference over triple-centurion Karun Nair in Hyderabad Test, but couldn't steer the side from troubled waters in Pune.

Rahane, who is always under scrutiny of the critics after team's loss, would be hoping to score big and silence them again.

 

6. Karun Nair

He might have been left out in the very next game despite hitting a triple century, but there is probability that Karun Nair would play against Australia in Bengaluru.

Keeping the pitch conditions in mind, Nair should get a place in the playing XI in Bengaluru as the hosts should aim at strengthening their batting line-up.

 

7. Wriddhiman Saha

The permanent wicket-keeper batsman will be once again donning the job of stumper for India in Bengaluru. But team management would be expecting more from him from behind the stumps.

His athleticism on the field was on the display in Pune but the wicket-keeper has still not succeeded in providing vital inputs to the captain over DRS.

Kohli would, therefore, be hoping more from the glovesman on this front.

 

8. Ravichandran Ashwin

World's no. 1 Test bowler, who also happens to be No.1 all-rounder in Tests, didn't have an impressive performance in Pune.

On a pitch where Australian spinner Steve O'Keefe grabbed 12 wickets, Ashwin could only muster 7.

He was not at his lethal best in Pune, as a result India lost the match. Thus, No.1 Test bowler would be eager to rattle the Australian batting line-up in Bengaluru and dominate them.

 

9. Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja would once again be donning the role of a perfect deputy to Ashwin. Team management and skipper Kohli would be hoping to exploit his spin, turn and bounce to counter Australian batsmen.

Jadeja did the bulk of bowling in Pune but failed to get the desired results from the pitch.

But Chinnaswamy strip has always suited the duo of Jadeja and Ashwin and team would once again hope that the duo wrecks havoc over Australian batting line-up.

 

10. Umesh Yadav

According to skipper Virat Kohli, the right-hand pacer was the only positive for India from Pune.

Umesh impressed all with his pace, bounce and accuracy in the first Test.

On a strip which favoured the spinners, Yadav grabbed 3 wickets and gave hosts the much needed breakthroughs.

Yadav was part of the Indian pace attack in all the five Tests against England and did well against Bangladesh in the one-off Test. Therefore, he will be a part of the Indian squad on March 4.

 

11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The swing pacer from Uttar Pradesh will get preference over out of form Ishant Sharma in Bengaluru.

Bhuvneshwar is the best Indian bowler when it comes to utilising swinging conditions and it looks like Bengaluru pitch is going to assist pacers early on.