The second Test in the four match series sees India heading into the encounter as favorites. The visiting side dished out an all-round display in the first game at Adelaide to win by 31 runs, which has increased the pressure on the Aussies, who are without their premier batsmen Steven Smith and David Warner.
The drop-in track that will be used in this new stadium is expected to be fast whilst having plenty of help for the seamers. With Australia struggling against quality pace bowling in the first Test, their woes could be heightened if India field first. The trio of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are among the top ten wicket-takers in 2018, having put on good displays in South Africa and England earlier this year, and they would be hopeful of replicating their feats.
The Aussie seamers on the other hand looked out of sorts against Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who had held fort brilliantly but counting the likes of out Starc and Cummins could be dangerous. They have enough firepower to dismantle the opponents with a fiery spell on their day and Tim Paine would hope that they find their momentum in the next match.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Tim Paine (8.5 credits)
Even though Rishabh Pant had a good game in the first match - he scalped 11 catches in the whilst also briefly impressing with three fours and a boundary in a single Nathan Lyon over - he is prone to playing the
The second Test in the four match series sees India heading into the encounter as favorites. The visiting side dished out an all-round display in the first game at Adelaide to win by 31 runs, which has increased the pressure on the Aussies, who are without their premier batsmen Steven Smith and David Warner.
The drop-in track that will be used in this new stadium is expected to be fast whilst having plenty of help for the seamers. With Australia struggling against quality pace bowling in the first Test, their woes could be heightened if India field first. The trio of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are among the top ten wicket-takers in 2018, having put on good displays in South Africa and England earlier this year, and they would be hopeful of replicating their feats.
The Aussie seamers on the other hand looked out of sorts against Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, who had held fort brilliantly but counting the likes of out Starc and Cummins could be dangerous. They have enough firepower to dismantle the opponents with a fiery spell on their day and Tim Paine would hope that they find their momentum in the next match.
Player Recommendations:
Wicket-keeper: Tim Paine (8.5 credits)
Even though Rishabh Pant had a good game in the first match - he scalped 11 catches in the whilst also briefly impressing with three fours and a boundary in a single Nathan Lyon over - he is prone to playing the rash shots more often than not, which tilts my choice in favor of Tim Paine.
Paine, who took over the captaincy role after Smith was banned, has two scores in the sixties in his last four Tests, along with a 41 that he scored against India at Adelaide. With the top-order failing to set their eye in at Adelaide, Paine would be eager to lead from the front with a match-winning innings, and this makes him a dangerous prospect.
Batsman: Virat Kohli (11 credits)
With the kind of year that Virat Kohli has had, it is tough to look past him when it comes to selecting the Dream11 squad. The Indian skipper scored 286 runs in three games in South Africa which includes a score of 153 and a half-ton as well. He was able to conquer the demons in England in the next overseas tour, scoring 593 runs with two hundreds, three fifties and two scores in the 40s. The maestro has perfected the art of batting in tough conditions and with Perth expected to be challenging, one can expected Kohli to raise his game again.
All-rounder: Travis Head (8.5 credits)
With Ashwin ruled out of the next game, Travis Head is my choice for the all-rounder's spot. The cricketer, who was playing his first Test on Australian soil, scored 72 in the first innings - the highest score in the innings. He looked promising in the second innings as well, and even though he made only 14 runs, he looked at ease.
Bowler: Pat Cummins (9 credits)
The Aussie is ranked seventh in the ICC Test ranking for bowlers currently. In six Tests that Cummins has played this year, he has picked up 32 wickets at an impressive average of 21.71. The 25-year-old will be expected to lead the attack on a ground where there will be plenty of help for him. With India's woes against the swinging ball well-known, the speedster could be among the wickets at Perth.
Captain: Pat Cummins
Vice-captain: Virat Kohli
Predicted Playing XI:
Australia: Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon
India: Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
