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The much-awaited Test series between India and Australia gets underway in Adelaide from 6th December 2018. It is a golden opportunity for team India to create history by winning their first ever Test series down under.
In the last 71 years, India has lost 8 Test series down under out of 11 and 3 have ended in draws. Out of 44 Test matches played down under, Team India has won just 5, lost 28 Tests and drawn 11. From the current Indian squad of 18 players, only Parthiv Patel and Ishant Sharma have been a part of the Indian team which has won a Test match in Australia.
Here is a look at how each member of the Indian squad has fared down under:
#1. Virat Kohli:
Virat Kohli just loves batting in Australia. Having toured Australia on two occasions, the Indian skipper averages 62 in 8 Test matches in Australia. In 16 innings down under, Virat has scored 992 runs with 5 centuries and 2 half-centuries to his credit.
Out of the 5 centuries, 4 were scored when India toured Australia in 2014-2015. Virat completely dominated the Australian bowlers and scored 692 runs in 8 innings at an impressive average of 86.50.
Virat has tasted success with the bat in overseas tours of South Africa and England earlier this year and will look to replicate his success with the bat down under. The chances of team India winning a Test series in Australia will depend a lot on the Indian skipper.
#2. Murali Vijay:
Murali Vijay had a successful tour of Australia with the bat in the year 2014. In 8 innings, the Indian opener scored 482 runs at an average of 60.25 with 1 century and 4 half centuries.
However, this time around, Vijay is making a comeback to the Indian team after being left out of the team in the last 3 Tests against England and the home series against West Indies.
The opener impressed one and all by scoring runs for his county Essex which earned him a place in the Indian squad.
Vijay's experience of batting against the new ball in Australia will be the key for team India's success in Australia.
#3. K.L. Rahul:
Rahul will have fond memories of India's tour to Australia in the year 2014 where he scored his maiden Test century in only his second Test.
Rahul scored a brilliant 110 in the Test at Sydney and justified his selection in the Indian team after scoring just 4 runs in the Melbourne Test.
Since then, the opener has struggled to get going in Test matches outside the sub continent. Time is running out for Rahul as he has failed to impress with the bat in India's last two assignments overseas. A dismal average of 7.50 against South Africa followed by an average of 29.90 against England has put Rahul's place in playing XI in a spot of bother.
The Test series against Australia will be a final chance for Rahul to make his presence felt in Test matches overseas.
#4. Cheteshwar Pujara:
The 2014 Test series down under was not a very memorable one for the Indian number three batsman. Pujara got off to a start in all the 6 innings he played in the 2014 series, but he failed to convert the good starts into big scores.
He scored 201 runs in 6 innings in the 2014 series at an average of 33.50. He was eventually left out of the playing 11 for the fourth Test at Sydney.
Pujara has got the technique and the temperament to play a long and patient innings in Australia. This time around, Pujara will look to convert the starts into match-winning innings and lead India to a series win in Australia.
#5. Ajinkya Rahane:
The Indian vice-captain has been one of the few batsmen who has excelled in overseas batting conditions. The 2014 Test series against Australia was a successful one for the middle order batsman from Mumbai.
He scored 399 runs in 8 innings at an average of 57 with a century in Melbourne and two half-centuries to his credit in the series.
Rahane provides stability in the Indian middle order and is the perfect batsman to bat at number 5 after Pujara and Kohli. The outcome of the Test series will depend on the performance of Rahane who will be India's mainstay in the middle order.
#6. Rohit Sharma:
Rohit Sharma has failed to replicate his success in white-ball cricket in red ball cricket at the international level. While he has been prolific in ODI and T20 cricket both in India and abroad, his Test career has been disappointing.
After scoring two centuries in his first two Tests, Rohit has scored just 1 more century in his remaining 23 Test matches.
Rohit has made a comeback to the Indian Test team for the series against Australia. In 2014, Rohit played 3 Tests down under and in 6 innings, he scored just 173 runs at an average of 28. 83.
Rohit has tasted success in white-ball cricket down under and will look to create an impression and justify his selection in the team by scoring runs in the middle order.
#7. Parthiv Patel:
Parthiv Patel was a vital member of the Indian Test team which drew a Test series against a dominant Australian team in 2003-2004 in Australia. In the said series, he scored 160 runs at an average of 32 and took 8 catches and was involved in 3 stumpings.
Patel is now on his second tour to Australia after 14 years and is the reserve keeper in the Indian squad. It is very unlikely that Patel will get an opportunity to be a part of the playing 11 with Rishabh Pant being the first choice keeper.
#8. Ravichandran Ashwin:
The off-spinner is all set to play the first Test at Adelaide in the 2018 series. Ashwin has not performed to the best of his abilities down under. He has toured Australia in 2011-2012 and also in 2014-2015.
In his third tour down under, Ashwin will compete with Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav for a place in the playing 11.
In 6 Tests down under, Ashwin has picked up only 21 wickets at an average of 54.71. He has however made some valuable contributions with the bat lower down the order and averages 27.60 with the bat.
Ashwin's primary job is to pick up wickets and will be a key member of India's bowling unit.
#9. Umesh Yadav:
Yadav has been a part of Indian teams which have toured Australia in 2011-2012 and 2014-2015.
In 7 Tests down under, Yadav has picked up 25 wickets at an average of 43.96. Umesh is a much improved and an experienced bowler than what he was in 2014 and will look to make his presence felt in the team if and when he gets an opportunity to play in the 4 match Test series.
#10. Mohammed Shami:
Shami is one the three pacers who will be playing in the first Test at Adelaide. Shami has been one of the key members of the Indian Test team in the recent past and has been the pick of the Indian bowlers in red ball cricket.
Shami was a part of the Indian team which toured Australia in 2014-2015 and he impressed with the ball by picking up 15 wickets in 3 Tests at an average of 35.80.
Shami has picked up 33 wickets this year in Test cricket at an average of 27.61 and will look to add more wickets to his tally down under.
#11. Bhuvneshwar Kumar:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played a solitary Test down under in Sydney in the year 2015 when he picked up just 1 wicket.
He is not a part of the 12 member squad which has been named for the Adelaide Test. However, Kumar is still a vital member of the team as he provides wickets with the new ball with his swing and control and is a handy batsman lower down the order and has often scored vital runs for his team.
Kumar will definitely play a role in this Test series and will look to make the most of the opportunity if and when he gets a chance to play.
#12. Ishant Sharma:
Ishant Sharma is the most experienced player in the Indian squad and will be on his fourth tour to Australia. Ishant impressed one and all with his bowling performances series in Australia in 2008.
Ishant has picked up only 20 wickets down under at an average of 62.15. However, Ishant is a much-improved bowler in the last couple of years and will look to improve his average in the upcoming Test series.
Ishant's experience will be valuable to the other pacers in the team and the lanky fast bowler will look to impress one and all with his pace and bounce down under.
Note: Prithvi Shaw, Hanuma Vihari, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah have not played a Test in Australia.
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