Australia vs India 2018-19, Second Test: 5 Talking Points from Day 1 

#3 Questions over India's Team selection

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Initial reports and photos and whatnot from Perth were completely about how green the pitch was, some even going on in willful exaggeration, that the pitch cannot be distinguished from the outfield.

But all such statements aside, it was still expected that the Perth wicket would assist the fast-bowling kind more than any other sect of cricketers, and India went on to omit spinners from their starting XI, going with four pacers as the main bowling options.

Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami retained their spots from Game one, while Umesh Yadav came in for Ashwin who was out due to a back strain.

It was expected that Jadeja would be the ideal replacement to the off-spinner, not only adding depth to batting but also turning up with some spin-bowling of his own.

But Kohli decided to field an extra pacer instead, to try and take advantage of the "green surface".

To put it kindly, the plan backfired a bit, as the pitch did next to nothing to assist the Indian speedsters.

Moreover, Hanuma Vihari - designated as "part-timer" initially - ended the day bowling 14 overs and emerging the pick of the lot with two wickets - both of them vital ones too (Harris and Shaun Marsh).

Had it not been for the youngster, India may have as well acknowledged already that the match has gone out of their hands