How does Rohit Sharma fit in? India's probable XI for Adelaide Test

Team India is in a great mood before the second Test of the five-match Test series against the hosts Australia. Adelaide Oval in Adelaide is set to host the second Test, which will be a day-night pink-ball Test match, starting on December 6.

India started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia with a big win by 295 runs. So, the visitors India, who won all the last four Border-Gavaskar Trophies, are leading the Test series by 1-0. As both teams are battling to secure the top two places in the ongoing 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship to qualify for the final, it is an important Test series for both teams.

Here, we will see India’s predicted XI for the second Test at Adelaide Oval. 

Top-order batters

Although captain Rohit Sharma is set to return to the playing XI, Yashsavi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are likely to open for India in the Adelaide Test. They opened in the recent Canberra day-night pink-ball practice match against the Prime Minister’s XI and set a 75-run opening partnership. If Rohit opens with the Perth Test centurion Jaiswal, Rahul then can bat in the middle order. 

As Shubman Gill is also set to return, the right-handed batter is likely to keep his third place in the batting line-up. 

See Also: KL Rahul gives a cheeky reply on his batting position in the Adelaide Test

Middle-order batters

Perth Test centurion Virat Kohli is undoubtedly to bat at no.4. Captain Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul, who will not open with Jaiswal, is likely to bat at the no.5 position. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is likely to bat in the no. position. However, according to the situation, the no.5 and no.6 places can be altered.

All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed with the bat in both innings on his Test debut at Perth can be even promoted to the no.7 position.   

Spinner(s)

As Adelaide Oval will host the pink-ball Test match, we are likely to see only one spinner from India. While Washington Sundar played the last Test at Perth, experienced Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are also in the team. However, for the pink-ball Test, we may see no change in the spin-bowling option. Sundar can bat at no.7 or no.8 according to the situation. While Ashwin can also bat at no.7 or no.8, Jadeja’s presence means the all-rounder is most likely to bat at no.7. 

Pacer(s)

Most likely, India will go with the same pace bowling options as the Perth Test. So, the vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace-bowling lineup along with Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana. While Bumrah won the Player of the Match award in the Perth Test for picking up eight wickets, including a fifer, Siraj bagged five wickets (2/20 and 3/51), and Test debutant Rana took four wickets (3/48 and 1/69). The 22-year-old Rana also shined in the pink-ball practice match against PM XI at Canberra by picking four wickets in six deliveries. 

India’s predicted XI: Yashsavi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj. 

Possible out(s): Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel 

Possible in(s): Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill