Despite suffering a humiliating 295-run loss to India in the Perth Test, the Australia Cricket Team refuses to make any changes to their squad. The hosts will be taking on India for the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide as Andrew McDonald plans on tinkering with the Playing XI but not with the squad.
The plan is understood to give a chance to the team to redeem themselves after putting up a disastrous show in the IND vs AUS 1st Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. “The same people in that change room are the same people that will be in Adelaide,” McDonald said.
Who makes the Cut for 2nd Test?
There are expected to be changes in the Playing XI with Mitchell Marsh becoming sore and can ideally pave the way for Josh Inglis for his debut. Marsh apparently hurt his hamstring during the Test as there were questions about his fitness prior to the start of the match.
There are huge doubts about the selection of Marnus Labuschagne in the Playing XI after the former Test number 1 batter faltered in Perth. He managed to score 2 and 3 respectively falling victim to Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. It has been over a year and a half since Marnus last scored a century.
“When we’ve seen him at his best he’s shown great intent at the crease. That’s an ongoing discussion and that ebbs and flows in players’ careers, so at the moment he’s in one of those patches and no doubt he’ll be getting critiqued externally. But internally we’re really confident that, at his best, he’s the player that we need. We’re really confident he can turn that around,” McDonald said.
Australia Squad for 2nd Test in Adelaide: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Scott Boland.