Justin Langer confirms Australia will field same XI for Boxing Day Test as at Adelaide

Ahead of the mega Boxing Day Test against India, Australia Head coach Justin Langer has confirmed that the hosts will field the same playing XI as in the first Test on Friday. The second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy is slated to begin on Friday in front of nearly 30,000 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Contrary to the first Test, the Indian team has decided to keep its cards close by opting to not declare their playing 11 on the match eve. 

"I'll be a pretty courageous man to change the playing XI this Test match after the last one. Unless something happens over the next few days and that can in the world we live but we are going with the same XI," Langer said in a virtual press-conference on Thursday.

The Australian coach also expressed delight over the presence of fans at MCG. Highlighting that 'thirty thousand is better than none,' Langer opined that Indians will love to play at the MCG on Friday. Moreover, the head coach exuded tremendous confidence in his skipper Tim Paine and heaped praise on his batting in the first Test. 

"I have said publicly and privately he is such an important player because he is lead wicket-keeper. His leadership is incredible and we saw how well he batted in the first innings under pressure in Adelaide, probably changed the game with the run out of Virat Kohli. He is a great player and great leader and I literally love having him in our team," Langer said. 

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Australia dealt with a huge blow

Opener David Warner and bowler Sean Abbott will not play in the second cricket test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground beginning Saturday due to a combination of injuries and COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. Warner and Abbott spent time in Sydney outside the team’s bio-secure hub to recover from injuries.

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Warner has not fully recovered from a groin injury sustained in the one-day series against India and would not have been available for the second test. Abbott has recovered from a calf strain sustained during Australia A’s tour match against India and would have been available for selection for the MCG Test.

India eye redemption 

After a humiliating defeat at Adelaide, Team India will be expected to come out all guns blazing on Friday morning at the MCG. However, the Men in Blue will be without their two key players - skipper Virat Kohli and speedster Mohammad Shami. There has been a huge roar to replace out-of-form Prithvi Shaw with Shubman Gill and also bring back Rishabh Pant into playing XI. Apart from Gill, Ravindra Jadeja is also in contention to play the second Test at MCG. 

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