Australia vs India 2018-19: India's predicted XI for the Boxing Day Test

Cheteshwar Pujara

The Indian team will bank a lot on Pujara and Kohli

Cheteshwar Pujara, India's chief architect in the first Test win, failed to replicate his Adelaide heroics at the Optus Stadium. He had a pretty decent start to the Test as he scored a gritty knock of 24 in the first innings which proved to be quite significant in the context of the situation. Nonetheless, Pujara missed the bus in the second innings as he fell on a meager score of 4. Thus, come the third Test, the right-handed batsman will hope to repeat his first Test heroics in an attempt to provide stability to the Indian middle-order.

Virat Kohli (C)

Once again, Virat Kohli led from the front as he scored an incredible 123 in the first innings which helped India to post a respectable total in the first innings. It was his 123 that stabilized the Indian innings after a dismal show by the Indian openers. However, Kohli wouldn't be pleased enough as the gritty century came in a losing cause. Nonetheless, Kohli will be keen on continuing his red-hot form in the third Test as well.