India hit by injuries ahead of second Test against Australia
India has been forced to make changes for the second Test against Australia in Perth, with Ravi Ashwin and Rohit Sharma ruled out with injury.
Key points:
- Ravi Ashwin is sidelined with an abdominal strain and Rohit Sharma has a back injury
- India may use four fast bowlers in the Perth Test
- The tourists lead the four-Test series 1-0 after winning in Adelaide
In a further blow to India's hopes of going 2-0 up in the four-Test series, batting prodigy Prithvi Shaw remains unavailable with an ankle injury.
Off spinner Ashwin, who sent down 52 overs in the second innings in Adelaide, has been ruled out with a left abdominal strain.
Rohit has been sidelined after he jarred his back while fielding in the first Test, which India won by 31 runs.
Spin-bowling all-rounder Hanuma Vihari is tipped to replace Rohit, who had already been on shaky ground after twin batting failures in Adelaide.
The inclusion of Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in India's 13-man squad adds intrigue given predictions of a fast and bouncy Perth Stadium pitch.
India lined up with four pacemen at the WACA Test in 2012, which Australia won by an innings and 37 runs.
The spicy Perth Stadium deck will hold no fear for an Indian pace unit widely considered to be the best the nation has produced.
Skipper Virat Kohli made reference to India's victory over South Africa this year on a green Johannesburg deck he rated as the toughest he had played on.
"We certainly get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now," Kohli said.
"We understand that we do have a bowling attack which can bowl the opposition out as much as they are convinced about their attack."
Umesh is capable of hitting 150 kilometres per hour and could add firepower to the Adelaide pace attack of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
But the tendency at Perth Stadium to trap humidity could benefit swing specialist Bhuvneshwar, who was man of the match against the Proteas in Johannesburg.
AAP
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