Australia vs India 2018-19, 1st Test: Preview and predicted XI

After sharing the three-match T20I series, both India and Australia would eye to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Test trophy whose events would begin from 6th December at Adelaide, followed by subsequent duels at Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney.

The duo has battled it out on a total of 94 occasions in red-ball cricket, with India acquiring a victory on 26 occasions, Australia on 41 occasions and the remaining 27 ending as a draw for both the units.

Here's a glimpse of the highly coveted India vs Australia first Test preview highlighting the happenings that could crop up in the first encounter at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.

Australia

Australia cricket team

The Aussies would have to implement minor changes in their style of play if they are the emerge victorious in the duel at Adelaide.

Batting

Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch delivered some impeccable performances in the tour of UAE and finished as one of the leading run-getters of the two-match Test series with run tallies of 229 and 181 respectively. Thus, they would be expected to replicate a similar performance in the home series versus the Indian unit.

One must not forget Shaun Marsh and his performances in Ashes 2017-18 where he emerged as one of the leading run-scorers of the five-match Test duels held in the Australian conditions. Being a senior member of the team he would be anticipated to do a similar role in the upcoming Tests.

Bowling

The bowling duo of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc could pose as a threat for Kohli & co. and along with Josh Hazlewood, the trio could inflict some serious damage onto the opposition unit. Thus, the likes of Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood would be a force to reckon with in the game at Adelaide.

Expected Playing XI for the first Test

Tim Paine (c & wk), Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khwaja, Peter Handscomb, Pat Cummins, Nathon Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc.

India

Indian cricket team

The touring Indian side has a golden chance of creating history on the Australian soil and would resort to whatever measures necessary to ensure the same, starting from the game at Adelaide.

Batting

Prithvi's injury could result in Lokesh Rahul or Rohit Sharma into the playing XI, with Murali Vijay as the default opener at the other end. Virat Kohli would once again be anticipated to mirror his 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar performance, where he emerged as the leading run-getter from the Indian end. Rishabh Pant had few memorable exhibitions in the form of a century in the last Test against England, followed by his fifty plus knocks in the Test series versus West Indies and will be expected to resort to a similar style of play.

Bowling

Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar would be the key players from the Indian bowling lineup. Their performances in the red-ball cricket have resulted in an Indian dominance on quite a few occasions and looking at the duo's exhibitions in the longest format of the game, one could expect them to prance hard onto the Aussie unit from the very instant. Among Ashwin and Kuldeep, the former would be given a significant amount of preference, owing to his past experience in bowling under Australian conditions.

Expected Playing XI for the first Test

Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneswar Kumar, Virat Kohli (c), Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant(wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Lokesh Rahul, Murali Vijay.