Australia Playing XI 1st Test: IND vs AUS – Australia broke the age-old norm of announcing the playing XI before the first Test against India. The reason less than 24 hours before the Nagpur Test, Australia skipper Pat Cummins bowled a bouncer at Rohit Sharma stating ‘We have decided the playing XI but will reveal only at the toss.’ It seems the Australia skipper is unsettled with the Nagpur pitch. Will the visitors play two spinners? Or will they play extra pacer? Follow IND vs AUS Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
“Looks a little bit dry for left-handers. Potentially fair bit of rough there, but if we have to deal with it and relish the challenge,” Cummins said about the Nagpur pitch.
Australia Playing XI 1st Test: Unsettled with Nagpur Pitch, Pat Cummins’ BOUNCER for Rohit Sharma & Co, withholds Playing XI, says ‘We have decided Playing XI but will reveal only at toss’, Follow IND vs AUS LIVE Updates
Australia Playing XI 1st Test: Just like Steve Smith, David Warner, Cummins closely inspects Nagpur Pitch, Todd Murphy in with a chance to make his Test debut
One day before the Nagpur Test, Cummins was closely monitoring Nagpur’s surface. With India signaling to the pitch curator in Nagpur that they want a rank turner, Cummins had to slightly alter the plans and pick a combination that will suit the best in Nagpur. While the pitch will aid spinners, the question remains which spinner Australia will opt to play along with Lyon?
The veteran off-spinner endorsed the idea of playing Todd Murphy. Like Lyon, Murphy is also a conventional off-spinner. Cummins suggested playing two of-spinners in the same playing XI could be effective against India, who are loaded with right-hand batters.
“I’m really excited by the prospects of Todd if I’m being honest,” Lyon told cricket.com.au earlier this week. “I think his will to want to learn about the game, about the art of off-spin – it’s remarkable.
“Just coming back from training just before, I just had a really good conversation with him – where a lot of guys will probably go, ‘Nah I’m not talking about bowling,’ Murph was asking questions. We had a really good discussion.
IND vs AUS: Why Pat Cummins are likely to include Todd Murphy in the playing XI?
· Murphy is an unknown commodity as not much is known about the off-spinner from Victoria.
· India have a history of struggling to off-spinners as evidenced by Steve O keefe when he picked 10 plus wickets in Pune during the 2017-18 series.
· With no left-hand option, Cummins feel Murphy can exploit that and use it to his advantage.
· The Victoria off-spinner also has a lot of variations up his sleeve and Cummins feel he could be an X factor.
Australia Playing XI 1st Test: Unsettled with Nagpur Pitch, Pat Cummins’ BOUNCER for Rohit Sharma & Co, withholds Playing XI, says ‘We have decided Playing XI but will reveal only at toss’, Follow IND vs AUS LIVE Updates
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