AUS vs IND 2nd Test: Aussies to field unchanged playing 11, informs Langer

Australia opener David Warner still have to attain match fitness and this a reason why the hosts are not changing its playing 11 from previous match

Australia cricket team's coach Justin Langer confirmed on Thursday that the hosts will go with an unchanged playing 11 against India for the Boxing Day Test, starting Saturday (December 26) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This will be second test match of the ongoing four-match series, also known as Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which Australia leads 1-0 after handing a humiliating defeat to India in the first Test match at the Adelaide Oval. 

"Davey (David Warner) had a good hit yesterday. He is still a way off his running. We know how dynamic he is. There is no one who is more dynamic than him in the game between the wickets and the way he fields. We want to make sure that he gets 100 per cent fit for that because he gets energy personally out of that and as a group we get great energy," said Langer while speaking to the reporters.

David Warner after getting injured during ODI series. Photo: @cricketcomau

When David Warner will return to AUS playing 11?

"We are very hopeful. He batted well and is moving well. He is enthusiastic as ever. He has got so much energy and passion and has been doing it for last three weeks. He is doing everything to get back onto the ground. He is having a bit of trouble running at full speed. When he gets back his full confidence, he will come back in our team...we will monitor him and we will have him back, not just for our team... everyone loves to see him play cricket, he is great for the theatre, performance and entertainment of Test cricket. So we will welcome him as soon as he gets fit," added Langer.

Check India-Australia series latest news updates here

2nd Test: India vs Australia playing 11 prediction

Australia playing 11: Joe Burns, Mathew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathon Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India tentative playing 11: Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Siraj/Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah.

Check IND vs AUS Tests full schedule match timing and free streaming details

Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Shastri during practice session. Photo: @BCCI

Why Australia opting for an unchanged playing 11 for 2nd Test?

The head coach further confirmed that Australia will field the same XI that featured in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval which the hosts won by eight wickets.

"I would be a pretty courageous man to change the XI for this Test match after the last one. At this stage unlikely...Unless something happens over the next few days, and they can happen in the world we live in, we'll go in with the same XI," the 50-year-old said.

Langer on Cameron Green's performance

The unchanged XI will mean that young all-rounder Cameron Green also gets to play. Green provides a bowling option and bats in lower middle-order. Although he didn't have success in the first Test, Langer was all praise of him.

"He is so calm. That is what I love about him. For a young guy, he is so calm. He gets on with his job. He has got a really simple batting technique for a guy who is tall. Usually with a lot of tall batsmen, they are very clunky and a bit slow. But he is so fluid. He is a beautiful player. I have always said you judge the best players in the world with the way they can play the on-drive and he consistently over and over again keeps smacking the on-drive past the bowler. It means his balance is good, he is watching the ball and playing with the full phase of the bat. I love is temperament. Love his skills. He is fitting in well. He is at the start of a hopefully a very long journey. He is going to have ups and downs. To play first Boxing Day Test, nice journey," said Langer of Green.

ICC World Test Championship

The four-match series between India and Australia is also a part of ICC World Test Championship (WTC), whose final will be played at Lord's cricket ground in June, 2021. After winning the first Test of the ongoing series, Australia has strengthen its position at the top of the ICC WTC team standings. Notably, the top two teams on WTC points table will qualify for the final.

Check ICC Test championship latest news and points table here

Pucovski's concussion status

Langer also informed that the team management is keeping in touch with opener-in-line Will Pucovski who is out of the team due to concussion problems.

"We are keeping in touch. Lots of people are in touch with Will. It is tough to do face to face but with modern technology, with zoom, whatsapp we are doing it. We'll keep in touch and see how he is progressing," Langer said ahead of the second Test that will be broadcast live on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 3 and Sony Six.