India on Friday named their playing XI for the second Test against Australia starting December 26 with Test debuts handed to Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj. Gill comes in for Prithvi Shaw and is likely to open the batting while Siraj replaces the injured Mohammed Shami. Rishabh Pant replaces Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps even as Ajinkya Rahane steps up to lead the team in the absence of Virat Kohli. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also been included in the XI as India go in with five bowling options for the Boxing Day Test.
Mayank Agarwal will most likely have a new opening partner in Gill even as Cheteshwar Pujara, Rahane and Hanuma Vihari occupy the middle-order slots.
Ravindra Jadeja is likely to bat No. 6 followed by wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant, who enjoyed a superlative Test tour to Australia in 2018-19.
In the absence of Mohammed Shami, who suffered a fracture in his right arm, India have bolstered their bowling attack by including Jadeja in addition to handing a debut to fast bowler Siraj.
Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav are the other fast bowlers while R Ashwin is the specialist spinner.
