Australian pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood was cleared of injury Friday and will return for the third Test against India at the expense of Scott Boland as play gets underway on Saturday.
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While there are no other changes for Australia’s starting side in Brisbane, there is more uncertainty surrounding how India’s batting line-up could look like, especially after a press conference no-show.
India are determined to post a big first innings total at Brisbane, batsman Shubman Gill said Friday after they were skittled cheaply in Adelaide.
The visitors were dismissed for just 180 in the second day-night Test after winning the toss and opting to bat, with the hosts then compiling 337.
India made only 175 in their second knock, leaving Australia a meagre 19 to win.
“As a team, as a batting group we are looking to post a big total first up,” said number three Gill.
“That’s been one of the key discussions. Every batsman will have their own game plan, but as a group collectively we will try to get a big first innings score.”
In the wake of the Adelaide defeat, which left the five-Test series poised at 1-1, skipper Rohit Sharma was critical of the batting, including his own poor form.
“That is the disappointing part, that we didn’t bat well enough,” he said at the time.
“Probably were 30-40 runs short with the bat in the first innings.”
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Rohit, who missed the first Test in Perth, came in at number six in Adelaide, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul retained at the top.
There has been talk that he could revert to opener in Brisbane, but he failed to front the traditional pre-match captain’s press conference to discuss the issue.
Asked why Rohit was a no-show, Gill alluded to training on Friday being optional and not compulsory.
“I think he practised enough,” he said.
Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been carrying a minor groin injury picked up in Adelaide, but trained on Thursday and is expected to be fit.
Whether India keep faith with young seamer Harshit Rana remains to be seen. He failed to get a wicket in the second Test and Akash Deep is a potential replacement.
Despite being thrashed by 10 wickets in Adelaide, Gill remains optimistic about their Brisbane chances.
“We’ve won the last few series (against Australia),” he said.
“So there’s no fear. Perhaps if we hadn’t won, maybe.”
– AFP
WHAT IS THE WEATHER FORECAST?
Of course, there is a chance both teams may have to wait until Sunday for the third Test to get underway, with showers and a possible thunderstorm forecast for Brisbane on Saturday.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting between zero and 15 millimetres of rain, with a “high chance” of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon.
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