With Hughes in mind, India-Australia resume rivalry

Adelaide, Dec 8 (IANS) India will look to improve their overseas Test cricket record as the focus shifts back to the five-match Test series against the grief-stricken Australians with the first Test starting Tuesday at the Adelaide Oval.

India, having landed here two weeks ago and the first Test being postponed by five days due to the tragic passing away of Phillip Hughes, have done well in the two two-day tour matches with the batsmen and bowlers doing reasonably well.

But that will count for nothing as a Test against Australia in their backyard is one of the most difficult prospect in world cricket and the Indians will have to be on their toes when they take the field Tuesday morning.

The Indian team, which was whitewashed in its last four-match Test series Down Under 2011/12, has seen a lot of changes in the batting lineup. 

Even the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Virender Sehwag, and Gautam Gambhir had failed to inspire during the last series and this time the focus will be on the likes of Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina and Ajinkya Rahane.

The selected batsmen have struggled in the recent tours to New Zealand, South Africa and England, with many questions being raised about their technique. 

On the fast and bouncy pitches in Australia, their ability to adjust will once again be closely scrutinised.

Middle-order batsman Virat Kohli will lead the side in the first Test as regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is yet to fully recover from a hairline fracture in his right thumb.

"Yes, I will be leading tomorrow," Kohli was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia (CA) website.

"We expect (Dhoni) to be 100 percent fit in the next few days. We want him to be 100 percent before he plays a game."

However, Australia will be relieved to know that skipper Michael Clarke has recovered from a hamstring injury and the venue, home to Hughes, will spur the emotionally-drained home team to avenge their 0-4 away thrashing at the hands of the Indians March 2013.

In a touching gesture by the selectors, Hughes has been named the team's '13th man' for the series opener.

"We have got to play the way we have been playing," left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson said. 

"That is being aggressive. That's the way I have always played the game. I know our boys will be out there playing the best cricket we can. If that is bowling the short ball like we have been, then that is what we will do. You've got to assess the conditions but we're not going to change a thing."

Kohli vowed to fight fire with fire in his first Test as Indian captain, and backed his pacers to cause Australia's batsmen some trouble. 

"This is one of the best bowling attacks we've had in a while," he said. "(We have) guys who are bowling with pace and they're fit." 

With medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar doubtful, India might field Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and the yet unproven Varun Aaron. 

Kohli will have to choose between offie Ravichandran Ashwin and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Wriddhiman Saha will don the gloves.

Asked about combating the menace of Johnson, who claimed 37 wickets in the 2013-14 Ashes series, Kohli noted his side couldn't focus on one man.

"We're not giving it too much importance. There's nothing very special about a particular individual or a few individuals," he said.

Though the wicket at the Adelaide Oval is considered as one of the most batting-friendly pitches it will also have pace and bounce and will provide ample purchase for the spinners on the fourth and fifth days.

Teams (from):

India: India: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadea, R Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, KL Rahul, Naman Ojha, Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Australia: Michael Clarke (c), David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon. 12th man: Josh Hazlewood.