Fantasy Cricket Tips: India vs Australia 2018 1st Test: Rohit or Vihari? Who's your pick?

Virat Kohli & Co are all set for their battle Down Under. The first Test gets underway at Adelaide on Thursday. The visiting Indian side have already suffered an injury blow right at the start of the series.

In-form young opening batsman Prithvi Shaw was ruled out of the first Test after he injured his ankle during the warm-up match last week. Shaw scored a sizzling fifty in the first innings of the game.

On Wednesday, the Indian team announced its playing 12 for the first Test, while Australia have mentioned their playing XI minus their allrounder Mitchell Marsh. While the top-order and bowlers pick themselves, two players - Hanuma Vihari and Rohit Sharma - could well battle it out for one slot in the middle-order.

India 12-man squad: M Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah

Australia playing XI: Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb, Tim Paine (capt), Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc.

Hemang Badani picks Vihari over Rohit: Former India cricketer Hemang Badani, who gave his fantasy XI tips for Sportskeeda on Wednesday, feels Hanuma Vihari should get the nod ahead of Rohit. Vihari scored a fifty in his debut Test against England.

Hanuma Vihari during the warm-up match

Badani said: “I feel it’s not going to be Rohit at No 6. I would go for Hanuma Vihari. I back Vijay who has done exceedingly well in Australia in the past. Even though he hasn’t done well in England and South Africa, he looks hungry and has got the desire (to perform).”

Below are the likely XI of both sides and the fantasy XI:

India likely XI: M Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah

Australia XI: Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb, Tim Paine (C), Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc.

Sportskeeda’s Fantasy XI (picked post the announcement of Australia’s XI): Batsmen: Vijay, Rahul, Khawaja, Kohli Allrounders: Ashwin, Head Keeper: Pant Bowlers: Starc, Hazlewood, Lyon & Bumrah.

Captain: Virat Kohli: Though one would think of having allrounders as captain, ‘King’ Kohli has been phenomenal in Australia and given the way he batted in the nets against the Indian bowlers in Adelaide a day ago one feels that he is certainly in the groove.