India vs Aus, 2nd Test: Head Returns as Australia Elect to Bat, India Play Iyer
Australia have elected to bat first in the second Test vs India, being played in Delhi.
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Australian skipper Pat Cummins has won the toss and elected to bat first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Left-arm Aussie spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is making his Test debut, becoming the 466th Men's Test cricketer for Australia. He was presented with his cap by right-handed batter Marnus Labuschagne.
Left-handed batter Travis Head comes in for Matthew Renshaw while Kuhnemann is playing in of pacer Scott Boland.
"The middle looks like there's grass but bare at both ends. Plenty of turn there, will be a good Test. It's got a little bit of a rough. We have to bounce back and everyone is raring to go," added Cummins.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma too has made one change, brining in Shreyas Iyer, ahead of Suryakumar Yadav.
"The pitch is dry and obviously batting first would have been ideal. But the kind of application we showed last game took the toss factor away and that is what will be required here," said the Indian skipper.
"It's important when you're playing in India, you shouldn't worry about the toss factor too much. That's the chat in the group as well."
India had won the opening fixture of the series by an innings and 132 runs in Nagpur.
Star batter Cheteshwar Pujara was felicitated before the game as he marks his 100th Test appearance in the Delhi fixture.
"Absolutely, we're all thrilled for him and it's a big occasion and his family is here. Hundred Test matches is not easy but he has stuck to his plan and he has come a long way," added Rohit.
Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins (captain), Todd Murphy, Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann
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