India have won the toss and asked Australia to bowl first in the second test of the ongoing four-match series at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.
In the follow-up to the crucial match, the pitch at the Chinnaswamy stadium has been the focal point, considering the rank turner in the first test match in Pune.
India has gone ahead with two major changes - Abhinav Mukund has come in for an injured Murali Vijay and Jayant Yadav has been dropped for Karun Nair.
The Playing XI for India, hence, include Abhinav Mukund, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha (W), Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma.
Australia has retained its squad from the previous match - Matt Renshaw, David Warner, Steven Smith (C), Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade (W), Mitchell Starc, Steve O'Keefe, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.
Having suffered a humiliating 333-run loss in the first test, the hosts will be looking forward to come up with a better performance, especially with the bat.
On the other hand, Steve Smith and his team will want to continue where they left in Pune and retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy by winning this crucial Test.
Australia triumphed within three days on a turner in the Pune test, thereby breaking India's 19-test unbeaten run stretching back to their tour to Sri Lanka in 2015.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli admitted that he was disappointed with the thumping defeat served by Australia in the first test in Pune and hinted at changed in the squad.
"Last game was a disappointment in the way we played. It wasn't more of the result. We have lost before but we have lost fighting hard but when you don't have enough intent during the game and you lose the game that is when it hurts you. I think that is all that we made of it. The comments or headlines don't matter to us. They never have and we don't base our cricket on that," Kohli said.
Smith, speaking to media on the eve of the second Test, said they were just one win away from reclaiming the series and the hosts must be feeling the heat since they are trailing. Kohli laughed this off as mind games.
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