Both India and Australia are expected to field three spinners in the first Test.
From February 8 to 12, India (IND) will host Australia (AUS) in the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Because both teams are vying for a spot in the World Test Championship final, this series is crucial for everyone involved. The Indian team defeated Bangladesh 2-0 in their previous Test series, but star players Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant will miss this series for various reasons.
The Australian team is currently ranked first in the ICC rankings, having defeated South Africa in their most recent Test series at home. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will miss the first Test due to minor injuries, while Cameron Green is also out. However, because the Nagpur pitch is said to favour spinners heavily, both teams are likely to include three spin options.
Suryakumar Yadav is expected to make his Test debut, while Ishan Kishan will have to wait his turn with KS Bharat in the wicketkeeping role. Lance Morris and Todd Murphy are likely to make their international debuts for Australia in the Nagpur Test.
Pitch Report:
In red-ball cricket, the pitch at Nagpur’s Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground provides a batting-friendly surface. However, according to the most recent reports, the venue curator has prepared a spin-friendly surface for this match, so spin bowlers should be preferred over pacers.
MATCH INFORMATION
India vs Australia, 1st Test
Australia tour of India, Nagpur
Date & Time: 9 Feb 2023, Thur, 9:30 AM IST
PROBABLE PLAYING XI
India
Rohit Sharma(C), CA Pujara, Virat Kohli, SA Yadav, KL Rahul, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, RA Jadeja, KS Bharat, Mohammed Siraj, M Shami
Australia
Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, David Warner, Usman Khawaja, TM Head, AC Agar, AT Carey, Pat Cummins(C), Nathan Lyon, SM Boland, LR Morris
