India is set to clash against the home side Australia under the lights for the second time in Test history in the second match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25.

The cricketing world anticipates a few high-octane days of play starting from Friday morning (IST).

India will welcome its top-order stalwarts, skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, back into the squad. However, this might leave the likes of K L Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal searching for a place in the eleven.

The pink-ball dynamics of India, however, puts the side on the front foot in the game.

India’s pink-ball outings

India started playing day-night Tests in 2019, where it outpowered Bangladesh at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

In its two other outings, India easily defeated England in 2021 and Sri Lanka in 2022.

However, there remains a blot on the grand wall, which was given by the arch-rivals themselves at the Adelaide Oval in 2020.

In the opening game of India’s previous visit down under, the hosts disposed of the entire batting lineup for a mere 36 runs in the second innings. Every batter searching for runs was sent back to the pavilion with single-digit scores, and the scorecard displayed a daunting 36/9.

However, the side’s heroics of clinching the trophy from the jaws of defeat overshadowed this ordeal.

Squad dynamics for the second Test

India will be back in its complete shape as Rohit and Shubman return for the Adelaide Test.

However, tasked with opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul played a pivotal role in a 200-plus-run partnership, marking the first such feat by an Indian opening pair in Tests against Australia.

This stroke could be a strong advocate for Rahul’s case to continue holding a place in the eleven, albeit at another spot lower down the order.

In the practice match against PM XI, KL Rahul opened the batting with Jaiswal, while Rohit Sharma came at third. The returning captain’s outing however, was short lived.

Following the inclusion of Shubman, either Devdutt Padikkal or Dhruv Jurel are likely to sit the night out at the Adelaide Oval.

India’s probable Playing XI:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

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BGT 2024-25: Gill returns to batting at nets in Canberra after thumb injury

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