Playing under Kohli's leadership, India had taken a vital 53-run first-innings lead after the second day's play before being bundled out for their lowest-ever score of 36 on day 3.
Reeling after their shambolic defeat against Australia in Adelaide, Indian cricket team is desperately searching for some positivity ahead of the second Test in Melbourne, starting December 26. India will be without their talismanic skipper Virat Kohli, who has gone on paternity leave, and premier pacer Mohammed Shami, who was ruled out of the series due to a fractured arm. Without their top performers, India will find it tough to bounce back against the high-on-confidence Australians. However, former India opener Gautam Gambhir, believes India need to remember one thing before moving forward that they dominated the first two days in the pink-ball Test as they head to Melbourne.
Playing under Kohli’s leadership, India had taken a vital 53-run first-innings lead after the second day’s play before being bundled out for their lowest-ever score of 36 on day three to eventually lose the series opener by eight wickets. “They need to remember that they actually dominated the first two days, they were ahead in the game throughout the first two days,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“They will be hurt about the one session but again they need to remember that there are three test matches and at the same time they won’t have their best player Virat Kohli with them; their captain,” Gambhir added.
The 39-year-old Gambhir wants the players to take the positives out of the first match and forget quickly of what happened in Adelaide. “So, there is a lot of onus on Ajinkya Rahane, plus Mohammad Shami will not be there. There will be a lot of onus on what combination they go with,” Gambhir said.
Indian team management is expected to make some changes ahead of the second Test and youngster Shubman Gill’s name is on the list as many cricket experts are calling for the stylish top order batsman to be handed his debut Test cap.
KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja’s are also likely to get the nod in India’s playing XI, however, all depends on whether India decide to go in with two spinners and three pacers or will continue the same combination of four bowlers – three pacers and one spinner.
Earlier, Gambhir had said that India would do well to enter the second Test with five bowlers and make Rahane bat at the No. 4 position. He had also batted for Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Gill’s inclusion in the playing XI.
