Xtra Time Web Desk: With several changes expected in the Indian playing XI for the upcoming Boxing Day test at MCG, one player will be hoping to make a comeback. All rounder Ravindra Jadeja has fully recovered from both his concussion and hamstring injury and has been training with the team in Adelaide. He was seen taking throw-downs in the nets and also bowling. But the million dollar question is will he be preferred in the playing XI. As reported by Xtra Time, as many four changes are expected from the Adelaide test squad with two being forced ones. Indian captain Virat Kohli will be flying back to India to be by the side of his wife Anushka Sharma who is expecting their first child while Mohammed Shami has been ruled out for the remainder of the series with a fracture in his right arm. Shami was struck on the hand by a rising delivery from Pat Cummins during the second innings in Adelaide Oval.
KL Rahul is expected to replace Kohli while Mohammed Siraj is likely to get the nod over Navdeep Saini in place of Mohammed Shami. Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw and wicket keeper Wriddhiman Saha will make way for Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.
But the problem in front of team management is where would you get Ravindra Jadeja in? If he does make it to the playing XI, it has to be at the expense of Hanuma Vihari who has not done anything wrong. It will be demoralizing for Vihari to be dropped after just one failure. But the nature of the MCG wicket might influence the team management to play Jadeja. One thing which is in favour of Jadeja at the moment is his form with the bat as was displayed during the recently concluded white ball series.
What might go against Jadeja is he hasn’t played a single tour game and if he is drafted in XI – it will be putting him straight into the battleground. Vihari though looked unsettled and uncomfortable at the wicket during the first test but he is India’s choice at No. 6 for some time now.
Vihari can still keep his place in the playing XI because of his performances so far. He has scored some runs in last tour of New Zealand, has two 50’s and a hundred in the West Indies, played some crucial knocks for India during their historic victory against Australia in the last series. Out of 10 test matches Vihari has played till date – 9 are overseas. He has handled pace well, shown right intent to stay on the wicket and has given good account of himself.
Now to drop him straightaway after 1 failure will not be a message which team India would like to send to players waiting in the wings.
It will be interesting to see how things turn out once the team reaches Melbourne on Tuesday.