India Vs Australia: Here is the probable India XI for Ranchi Test

Ranchi, March 14: With the four-Test series levelled 1-1, both India and Australian teams would be eyeing to win the upcoming third match at JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi, starting March 16.

Photos; 'Kohli is frustrated' " title="Series schedule; Photos; 'Kohli is frustrated' " />Series schedule; Photos; 'Kohli is frustrated'

War of words and mind games has been at an all time high from the two sides, after India bounced back to win the second Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Bengaluru.

India Vs Australia: Here is the probable India XI for Ranchi Test — File photo: Indian cricketers during a practice session.

India skipper Virat Kohli's on-field aggression and sledging is already garnering him criticism from the Australian team and media.

While injury of key Australian players might have added up to the woes of Steve Smith and his team.

But, team combination must be a dilemma for both Australian as well as the Indian team, for like Pune this will be the first Test at this venue.

Reading the pitch would be very crucial for both the sides as Playing XI will heavily depend on the condition of the surface.

Experts, however, feel that the pitch would be a typical Indian track and that the curators would have learnt from the fiasco in Pune, where rank turner proved to be disastrous for the hosts.

The Ranchi track would provide assistance to the pacers for the first five sessions of the Test match and would gradually become conducive of spin.

Keeping Team India's performance in previous Test and skipper Kohli's penchant for never repeating the same Playing XI, one feels there will be atleast one change in the Indian side.

The 28-year-old skipper would be desperate to win the third Test and hope the No.1 ranked team in the world takes a lead in the series.

Following was India's playing XI in Pune Test: KL Rahul, Abhinav Mukund, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Jayant Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

Here is how India's Playing XI might look like against Australia in the third Test in Ranchi:

1. KL Rahul

The Man of the Match from the previous game will be opening the Indian innings once again.

Rahul silenced his critics with his patient knock of 90 and 51 in two the innings, respectively.

It was Rahul's gritty 90-run knock on Day 1, in Bengaluru, that helped India reach 189 in the first innings. In the second innings, his crucial partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara steered the side through troubled waters after Kohli's early dismissal.

However, Rahul failed to slam his career's fifth Test century as he was dismissed at 90 in the first innings. Thus, he must be desperate to hit first Test century at home.

2. Murali Vijay

The Tamil Nadu opener missed out Bengaluru Test due to an injury in his shoulder but will make a comeback into the side in Ranchi, once fit.

His return into the side would mean Abhinav Mukund, who replaced him in Bengaluru, will be benched.

Also, Mukund failed to capitalised upon the chance he got for he was dismissed at duck in the first innings and scored a paltry 16 in the second innings. The Tamil Nadu opener, thus, failed to make an impression in the comeback Test.

Vijay will, therefore, once again get inducted in the Playing XI after recovering from his shoulder injury.

3. Cheteshwar Pujara

Once again, there will be a lot of expectations from this Saurashtra top-order batsman. He is India's permanent batsman at No. 3 and has consistently proved his worth.

Pujara's defiant 92-run knock at M Chinnaswamy in the second innings laid the foundation stone of India's series-levelling win.

Pujara may not have piled up big runs in the series so far but he undoubtedly has been India's most consistent run scorer after Kohli in this home season.

Thus, fans would be expecting a big knock from the right-handed batsman in Ranchi.

4. Virat Kohli

Contrary to the popular beliefs, this most lethal weapon in the Indian batting arsenal at No. 4 has been silent so far.

Kohli's flop show in all the four innings, so far, has been a reason why India failed to post big total on the board.

His innings of 0, 13, 12 and 15 in the last four innings do no justice to his reputation and the superlative form he has been this season.

Kohli has been aggressive on-field, vocally, but his silence with the bat has given fodder to the likes of Mitchell Johnson, who called the Indian skipper 'frustrated', in the wake of the DRS row in Bengaluru Test.

The consistent poor show has also affected the Delhi-lad's ratings in the ICC Test batsmen's table. Therefore, one just hopes that he answers his critics once again with the bat.

5. Ajinkya Rahane

The right handed batsman's wife Radhika was seen teary-eyed when he returned unbeaten, with Pujara, at Stumps on Day 3 in Bengaluru Test.

The 'tears of joy' in his wife's eyes, perhaps, showed what was the value of those 40-runs, not just the team, but for the confidence of the 28-year-old Mumbaikar.

Rahane scored 52 in the second innings and stitched a crucial 118-run-partnership to put India in the driver's seat in Bengaluru.

Thus, he will once again come in to bat at No. 5 and the team would be hoping from their most dependable batsman to play another big knock.

Rahane, who is always under the radar of the critics after team's loss, would be hoping to score big and silence them again.

6. Karun Nair

He might have failed to perform in Bengaluru but the second triple-centurion from India would definitely find a spot in the side in Ranchi.

Nair scored 26 and 0 respectively in the second Test, but the Karnataka lad would think of learn from the mistakes committed in Bengaluru and prove his mettle in Ranchi.

7. Ravichandran Ashwin

The No.1 all-rounder in the world will not only be buoyed with his match winning bowling effort in Bengaluru but must be desperate to prove his worth as a batsman in the third Test.

Ashwin's has so far failed to contribute with the bat in the ongoing series, but no one doubts his batting skills. Its just a matter of an inning when the right-handed batsman gets into his groves.

As far as bowling is concerned, the World No.1 bowler in Tests will be key to India's success in the Ranchi Test as well. After tasting success against the Aussies in the second innings in Bengaluru, Ashwin would be eyeing another match-winning performance.

8. Wriddhiman Saha

The permanent wicket-keeper batsman will be once again donning the job of stumper for India in Ranchi, home to India's most successful glovesman - MS Dhoni.

But skipper Kohli would be expecting more from him from behind the stumps. His athleticism on the field has been brilliant so far but the wicket-keeper has still not succeeded in providing vital inputs to the captain over DRS. Kohli would, therefore, be hoping more from the glovesman on this front.

Also, his batting hasn't been as good as expected. Therefore, Saha would be eager to prove his value in the side as a batsman too.

9. Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja would once again be donning the role of a perfect deputy to Ashwin. Having already claimed the top spot in ICC Test rankings with Ashwin the left-handed spinner will be eager to repeat a Bengaluru-like performance in Ranchi.

Team management and skipper Kohli would be hoping to exploit his spin, turn and bounce to counter Australian batsmen.

Jadeja was the pick of the Indian bowlers in M Chinnaswamy in the first innings and Kohli would expect a similar performance from the Rajkot all-rounder.

10. Umesh Yadav

After the loss in Pune skipper Virat Kohli termed the right-hand pacer as the only positive for India from the first game and he didn't disappoint the former in Bengaluru as well.

Umesh impressed all with his pace, bounce and accuracy in the second Test match as well. On a strip which favoured the spinners, Yadav grabbed 3 wickets and gave hosts the much needed breakthroughs. He will be a part of the Indian squad on March 16 as well.

11. Ishant Sharma

His selection in the second Test match was no less than a surprise, but the Delhi speedster not only proved his selection right but also entertained the audiences with his on-field aggression.

Ishant bowled his heart out in Bengaluru Test and consistently maintained pressure over Australian batsmen. Thus, he will be rewarded for his performance in Bengaluru.

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