So, here are the 5 Indian players to watch out for:
Mayank Agarwal:
He has firmly established himself as India’s first-choice opener in the longer format of the game. Agarwal has both the technique and temperament to succeed at the highest level.
His experience of having played a couple of test matches (which were his first 2 test matches) in the previous tour would hold him well. He is someone whom the country would pin their hopes on.
Cheteshwar Pujara:
He was one of the key reasons why India won the series against Australia in their backyard. His ability to play out time and wear down the opposition is unmatched. He grinds the opposition and finds some strange sort of victory while doing it time and again. This would be his 3rd trip down under and we are sure he would certainly want to make this count.
Rohit Sharma:
No one in the modern game strikes the ball as cleanly as Rohit Sharma across formats. This would be his first big litmus test as an opener in foreign conditions.
He would surely like the wickets here as they stay true to their nature and offer good bounce and carry which in a way makes stroke-making easy.
The biggest battle he would be facing would be his mindset, if he can clear that, there is nothing that can stop him from conquering test cricket too.
Mohammad Shami:
He has vastly improved his fitness over the last couple of years. He has overcome personal trials and tribulations in addition to his form and consistency. Shami can make the ball talk (new and the old alike).
His seam position is arguably one of the finest in the world if not the finest. He can set up games for India if he finds his rhythm quickly, knowing Shami 2.0, it won’t be long before he sets his sights on the Aussies.
Jasprit Bumrah:
His slower ball to dismiss Shaun Marsh before lunch in the boxing day Test Match is a sight for the ages. Bumrah has come along really well in his brief Test career.
He is the only Asian bowler to have a 5 wicket haul in South Africa, England, Australia, and West Indies. India’s chances hinge largely on Bumrah’s shoulder, which has time and again shown that it is more than capable of doing that.
Special mention:
Virat Kohli (Captain fantastic) has always remained a crucial cog for India to do well, but we wanted to focus on other key individuals too who could prove to be game-changers down under.
