The highly anticipated second Test between India and Australia began at a packed Adelaide Oval, with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma winning the toss and choosing to bat first on Friday (December 6).
India came into the day-night Test match in Adelaide with a 1-0 lead in the ongoing five-match Test series against the Aussies following a dominant 295-run victory in the opening Test in Perth.
In an emotional gesture, the Aussie cricket team took the field wearing black armbands in honor of Phillip Hughes, marking the 10th anniversary of his tragic passing, and Ian Redpath, who passed away on December 1.
Australia remembers Phillip Hughes and Ian Redpath during the Adelaide Test against India
Cricket Australia (CA) is honoring Phillip Hughes’ legacy during the ongoing Day-Night Test match between India and the Aussies and throughout the Sheffield Shield Trophy matches by flying flags at half-mast and having players wear black armbands across all first-class games.
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Notably, on November 25, 2014, during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Phillip Hughes was struck on the neck by a bouncer delivered by Sean Abbott. The ball hit an unprotected spot, resulting in a vertebral artery dissection that caused a brain hemorrhage.
Hughes collapsed on the field and tragically passed away two days later, on November 27, 2014, just shy of his 26th birthday. His untimely and tragic death deeply impacted the cricketing world, prompting significant advancements in safety, including the introduction of neckguards for helmets.
Hughes’ jersey number 63 became a global symbol of tribute, as he was batting on that score when the incident happened, and he could never return to the field. Tributes poured in from around the world, with the hashtag #63NotOut in his memory.
Meanwhile, Ian Redpath was an Aussie cricketer who played 66 Tests and five ODIs from 1964 to 1976, and he is also remembered for his contributions to the game during the ongoing Pink-Ball Test against India at the Adelaide Oval.
India made three changes for the Day-Night Test against Australia
On the other hand, India has made three changes to the lineup that recorded a dominant 295-run win in the Perth Test for the Day-Night Test against Australia in Adelaide. Rohit Sharma returned from paternity leave, Shubman Gill is back at his No. 3 spot, and Ravichandran Ashwin has been recalled as the lead spinner over Ravindra Jadeja for the Adelaide encounter.
Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar have made way for Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Ravichandran Ashwin, with Nitish Kumar Reddy coming in at No. 7, just ahead of the off-spinner at No. 8 in India’s XI for the ongoing Day-Night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Rohit Sharma said after winning the toss, “It will have some carry for the fast bowlers, but as the game goes, it will get better to bat. There will be something in it for everyone.”
Here are the Playing XIs for the Adelaide Test:
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
India XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.