Adelaide Test: India include Prithvi Shaw, Saha in playing eleven

The Indian team management has preferred an out-of-form opener Prithvi Shaw to partner Mayank Agarwal in the first Test against Australia starting at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Shbubman Gill, who looked in good touch in the practice game against Australia 'A', was overlooked.

The 21-year-old Shaw has scored a hundred and two fifties in his four Tests so far, but managed only 62 runs in four innings in warm-up games ahead of the four-Test series.

Shaw's place looked to be under threat after he got out to some rash shots, while Gill pushed his claim for a Test debut with scores of 43 and 65 in the final tuneup game in Sydney. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed the line-up on Wednesday with Shaw keeping his place.

Hanuma Vihari is the sixth specialist batsman, while Wriddhiman Saha got the nod over Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper's slot.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been chosen as the lone specialist spinner for India, who will go with the frontline pace trio of Jaspit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav.

The day-night encounter in Adelaide is the first of the four Tests for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

This is only the second pink-ball Test India are playing, while Australia have won all seven of their previous day-night Tests.

India had won in Adelaide in the 2018-19 series which they won 2-1 to become the first Asian team to triumph Down Under.

Indian XI: Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

(With inputs from Reuters)