AUSTRALIA v INDIA, 1st Test – Fantasy Cricket Tips and Playing XIs

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by Karthik Atchuta

Date: Dec 16-20, 2020 – 09:30am IST
Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide – Day-Night Test
Fantasy Cricket Tips for Australia v India 1st Test

AUS Test Squad: Joe Burns, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Tim Paine(w/c), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, James Pattinson, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson

IND Test Squad: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Kuldeep Yadav

Fantasy XI:

Batsmen: Virat Kohli (c), Steve Smith (vc), Cheteshwar Pujara, Marnus Labuschagne

WK Batsman: Tim Paine

All Rounders: Hanuma Vihari, Cameron Green

Bowlers: Pat Cummins, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mitchell Starc

Captain and Vice Captain:

Steve Smith and Virat Kohli walk in to the Test series as No.1 and No.2 batsmen in ICC rankings. I am going with Virat Kohli as captain over Steven Smith – as it is the only Test Virat Kohli would play this series he might give it all. Steve Smith’s batting average in Day-night Tests at Adelaide Oval is 35.42 while the overall average at this venue is over 61.

Mitchell Starc who has a super record in Day-night Tests at Adelaide is another choice to reckon with given his fitness situation.

Batsmen:

I am going with 2 top Indian batsmen and 2 top Aussie batsmen – Virat Kohli, Pujara, Smith and Labuschagne. This is primarily put so keeping in mind the team balance and budget investment over other players in Dream 11.

All rounders:

Hanuma Vihari and debutant Cameron Green will constitute my all rounders quota. I highly rate Hanuma Vihari as a batsman and he is also my X-factor choice player for this match. He could be the differentiating factor between your team and others. Cameron Green is a top talent waiting to unleash, especially in the longer format of the game. If fit and available he is my choice. If not, then Travis Head is a good alternative.

Bowlers:

I am picking the Top 4 bowlers I feel there are. Due to budget constraints I couldn’t slot in Josh Hazlewood – so am sticking with Pat Cummins. Other pacers are Starc, Bumrah and Shami. I wouldn’t really mind if you want to tinker with Lyon over Cummins as the off-spinner picked 18 wickets under lights at this venue in 4 Tests he played.

X-factors for me will be Gade Hanuma Vihari and Mitchell Starc – they can be the defining factor for the team’s critical differentials in the end.

Probable Playing XI:

Australia: Joe Burns, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (c/wk), Patrick Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

India: Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah