IND vs AUS Live: Adelaide weather forecast, pitch report, possible playing XIs

Premier Australia spinner Nathan Lyon is confident that all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will bowl in the second Test against India, but added that he would jump at the opportunity to bowl some additional overs if the all-rounder misses out on rolling his arm in Adelaide. Marsh's fitness has been a major concern for the hosts in the lead up to the pink ball Test, starting Friday. The 33-year-old had felt discomfort after bowling 19.3 overs in the opening Test, which Australia lost by 295 runs at Perth.

Australia have also drafted uncapped all-rounder Beau Webster to their squad as a cover but it seems Marsh will retain his spot in the playing XI.

"I honestly think we'll see Mitch Marsh bowl," Lyon told reporters on Wednesday.

"I'm not concerned about Bison's fitness if I'm being honest. He's been brilliant for us since he's come back in. He came back in that game in Leeds during the Ashes and has really dominated, so got full confidence in Bison. Happy to bowl his overs."

Lyon has been part of an Australian attack that has included either Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green, or sometimes both. The off-spinner has also led the bowling charge when the team has opted for four frontline bowlers, relying on part-time overs from the top order.

Even without a genuine all-rounder, Lyon has consistently taken on additional bowling responsibilities, particularly when he is the sole spinner in a four-man attack.

"I'm very clear on my role within the team. Nothing really changes with me…if I can get the opportunity to bowl more overs, I'll jump at it," he said.

With the return of captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, Team India will be back to full strength in the second Test, a pink-ball affair, against Australia at Adelaide Oval starting Friday. Rohit missed out the opening Test in Perth to be with his family for the birth of his second child while Gill was sidelined due to a thumb injury. Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel are expected to make way for both Rohit and Gill. After India emerged victorious in the first Test in Perth, fans are eager to see if India can maintain their momentum or if Australia will stage a strong comeback.

Adelaide has been a successful venue for the home side, who have won all seven day-night Tests they have played there. Players from both India and Australia are on the cusp of making individual records. Here's a look at the milestones that can be made during the day-night contest.

Bumrah closing in on a half-century against Australia

Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who captained the team in the first Test in Rohit's absence, delivered match-winning spells of 5/30 and 3/42 to secure India's commanding 295-run victory. With an exceptional record against Australia - 40 wickets in 16 innings at an average of 18.80 - Bumrah is just 10 wickets away from reaching the 50-wicket milestone against the Aussies.

Steve Smith and Virat Kohli both eye for their 10th century against each other

Virat Kohli's return to form with a brilliant century in the first Test brought much-needed relief to Indian cricket fans. He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of six Test centuries in Australia, marking his seventh Down Under ninth overall against the Aussies in the format. The second Test presents Kohli with an opportunity to take his tally to double digits. Steve Smith also has same number of tons against India in Test cricket.

Shubman Gill nears milestone against Australia

Having recovered from a thumb injury, Gill impressed in the practice match and will carry the confidence of his previous performances in Australia when he steps onto the field at the iconic Adelaide Oval. The right-handed batter has scored 444 runs in 11 innings against Australia at an average of 44.40. However, his average rises to 51.80 in Australia, with 259 runs in 6 innings. Gill is now just 56 runs away from completing 500 Test runs against Australia.

Ashwin on the verge of another milestone

After missing out on a spot in the playing XI for the first Test, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to remain on the bench for the second game of the series. However, if he plays, a significant milestone awaits him. Ashwin is just 14 wickets shy of joining the elite club of 550 Test wickets, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest spinners in cricket history.

India could not have asked for a better start to their Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign, securing a dominant 295-run victory in the opening Test in Perth. The focus now shifts to the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy beginning on Friday at Adelaide Oval, which will be a pink-ball contest.

However, Adelaide is the venue where India had a forgettable outing, collapsing to their lowest-ever Test total of 36 in the second innings of the first Test on the last tour Down Under. In contrast, Australia boast an outstanding record at the venue, having won all seven day-night Tests they have played there.

Australia's juggernaut in pink-ball Tests

Australia have been incredibly dominant in the Day-Night Test format since its inception, winning 11 out of 12 pink-ball Tests. Their sole defeat in this format occurred against the West Indies in early 2024.

How India has fared in pink-ball Tests

India's track record in Day-Night Tests has been notably successful, with victories in three out of their four matches using the pink ball, achieving a 75% success rate. Their sole defeat came in Adelaide on the last tour.

India's victories in pink-ball matches include triumphs against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and their latest success against Australia at Eden Gardens in 2023.

Most runs in pink ball Tests

No Indian batter appears in the top five run-scorers in pink-ball Tests, as Australian batters dominate the list. Marnus Labuschagne leads the pack with 894 runs in eight matches, averaging an impressive 63.85.

Legendary Australian batter Steve Smith holds the second spot on the list, having scored 760 runs in 11 pink-ball Tests, including one century and five half-centuries. David Warner ranks third with 753 runs in nine matches, while Travis Head and Usman Khawaja occupy the fourth and fifth positions with 543 and 516 runs, respectively.

Most wickets in pink ball Tests

Australian bowlers dominate the pink-ball format, with pacer Mitchell Starc leading the way. He has taken 66 wickets in 23 innings at an impressive strike rate of 36.5. Nathan Lyon, the second-highest wicket-taker after Starc, stands out as the only spinner to claim more than 20 wickets in Day-Night Tests.

Adelaide is currently basking in sunshine before the second Border-Gavaskar Test, a day-night match starts on December 6. But pitch curator Damian Hough says thunderstorms could disrupt day one, with clear weather expected from day two.

On the 22 yards at the Adelaide Oval, six millimetres of grass has been left, which is a standard practice in day-night Tests to preserve the condition of the pink Kookaburra ball. Australia have won all seven of their pink-ball Tests in Adelaide, while India are playing a day-night Test for the first time after March 2022.

“Weather, yes, is a short answer to that (affecting the game). Right now, with over two days out from the first ball, it does look like Friday could be wet with some thunderstorms. We’ve had some unseasonable thunderstorms over the last few weeks. We’re normally quite dry in our climate, so we’ve had a few storms around.

"It looks like they’re around Friday, so I don’t know whether it’s going to be in the morning or in the afternoon. I’ll sort of look at that once we get the forecast in about three hours’ time, and have a better understanding what that looks like.

"It’s a little bit hit and miss, as in there’s two different models out there right now, one saying it’s going to come early and not be as bad during the game. The other one is it could be more around lunchtime and during the afternoon.

"We’ll wait and see, as it looks like it’s clearing out Saturday morning. On day one, we might lose a few overs, but from day two onwards, looks like the weather’s going to be good and we’ll be able to pick those overs back up hopefully," said Hough.

The history of pink-ball Test cricket shows that batting during twilight poses the toughest challenges for batters. While Hough didn’t have definitive information, he felt the common view of twilight sessions being tough for batters was accurate.

Adelaide Oval's head curator Damian Hough reiterated that the aim is to have a good, balanced contest.

"Normally the quicks should be able to get some assistance throughout the game. And we know the quicks can. Spin can come into it in that night session. Under lights, if they can get hold of a new ball in that night session, normally is quite entertaining.

"We're trying to get that balance right...We're trying really hard to ensure that the balance between bat and ball is there and we can allow the batters to shine strategically throughout the course of the game."

Potential thunderstorms are forecast for the opening day of the match, which is unusual for Adelaide at this time of the year.

"I am not sure exactly on the timing of those storms coming through, but we're expecting to pull covers a bit on Friday. Hopefully it clears out on Saturday morning ... then it should be good for the remainder of the Test."

Hough said weather has a huge role to play in the the movement of the pink ball

"The ball hooping around has got nothing to do with the pitch. Under right conditions, right weather, the ball will move."It will be India's first pink-ball Test in Australia since they were infamously bundled out for 36 at the same venue back in 2020 but Hough maintained there were no demons in the pitch even back then.

"On the morning of day three, no one would have expected that Test match to finish in three days. That was just really good bowling from Australia...I don't think the pitch played a part in that," he said.

Spin is expected to play a role in the second Test between India and Australia, but the Adelaide Oval's head curator Damian Hough has also promised a 6mm grass cover to ensure that the ball doesnt' wear out early during the day-night game here. Hough said the grass will assist the pacers early on with the spinners coming into play as the match progresses.

"History suggests that it is hard to bat under lights in Adelaide. The pitch will have 6mm of grass. We're trying to allow all facets of the game to shine at some stage during the game," Hough told media ahead of the second Test.

"What we're trying to do is have a coarse mat grass -- thatchy type of grass that's dry and hard. And the reason we do that is we're trying to get as much pace and bounce out of the pitch as what we can get for us, for Adelaide, which is a lower clay content," he added.

The opening Perth Test, which India won by a record 295 runs, lasted four days with batting becoming easier as the game moved ahead. Hough has similar plans for the pink-ball game.

"Spin normally plays a role so it can get a good bite or purchase out of that grass and it normally gets good bounce. So that's a game plan. Hopefully, as the ball gets older, the batters can cash in and if there's a partnership out there, they cash in and go from there."

While spinners didn't have much to do in the Perth Test, Hough said the tweakers will have more assistance at the Adelaide Oval.

"Spin always plays a role in Adelaide. You need to pick a front-line spinner. There should never be a question of 'do we, don't we?' It should always be 'do'," Hough said highlighting the role of spinners in Adelaide.

"From my side, always pick a spinner. The idea of leaving that extra bit of grass and that matty grass is for the spinner to be able to get purchase out of that mat and get it to bite, grip, and bounce," he added.

Ravi Shastri believes that including Akash Deep in the playing XI for the Adelaide Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy could provide India with a unique attacking option against Australia.

On Friday, India will step into Adelaide Stadium, a venue etched in infamy for Indian cricket. Four years ago, the team endured one of its darkest moments, collapsing to 36/9, the lowest Test total in their history.

In contrast, Harshit Rana impressed on his Test debut in Perth against a formidable Australian batting line-up. After India was bowled out for 150, Harshit, alongside Mohammed Siraj, complemented pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah effectively.

Harshit delivered figures of 3/48 from a 15.2-over spell in the first innings. However, his performance waned during the second innings as the Perth pitch flattened, retaining bounce but becoming less responsive to bowlers. He conceded runs steadily and managed just one wicket—Alex Carey, the final scalp of the match.

However, the second Test in Adelaide brings different challenges, as India faces the unfamiliar conditions of a pink-ball Test.

Shastri believes Akash Deep's inclusion could prove beneficial due to his ability to generate seam and swing, making him more suited to these conditions.

"The only thing that you must remember is this is a pink-ball Test. I know Harshit Rana did very well in that Test match, but the pink ball with extra lacquer, it's a little harder and might seam around a bit and swing. [That's] where I think Akash Deep should be in the mix," Shastri said on the ICC Review.

He also emphasised the importance of assessing the pitch before finalizing the bowling attack, stating, "Now when you reach the ground, you see the conditions, [whether] you opt for extra bounce and pace, that's your choice. But I'd definitely keep him in that 12 and keep an eye on him."

The same concerns had dogged India ahead of the series in the wake of their 3-0 home defeat by New Zealand, but few are talking about Virat Kohli's shelf life following his stirring Perth century.

Droves of Indian fans flocked to the team's nets session at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday to cheer on Kohli and Rohit as they warmed up against Bumrah.

After missing the first Test to care for his newborn baby, Rohit will take back the captaincy from Bumrah in Adelaide but may not resume his place at the top of the batting order.

Rohit has made just one fifty in his last 10 Test innings and selectors may be reluctant to break up the pairing of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul whose 201-run partnership in the second innings in Perth set India up for victory.

Rohit batted at number four in the pink-ball warmup match against an Australian Prime Minister's XI in Canberra, scoring three.

Shubman Gill, who missed the Perth Test after fracturing his left thumb in the lead-up, is also available for selection and will likely return to the top order after scoring an unbeaten 50 in the Canberra tour match.

With noses bloodied and pride stung from the pounding in Perth, Australia will look to hit back with the pink ball in the second Test against India at Adelaide Oval as the tourists welcome back returning skipper Rohit Sharma.

Australia have had plenty to ponder since their 295-run capitulation in the series-opener, which has been chewed over relentlessly by media and fans.

Few in the home team dressing room have been spared criticism, with preparations, selections and tactics all put under the microscope.

A side injury to frontline paceman Josh Hazlewood -- the best of Australia's quicks in Perth -- has added to the angst and means the hosts will have at least one change to the lineup.

For all that, the players are adamant no one is hitting the panic button just yet.

After all, Adelaide Oval has been a fortress for Australia with a succession of touring teams failing to adapt to the bright lights and swinging pink ball.

The pioneers of day-night Test cricket, Australia have never lost a pink ball match at a venue where they blasted India's batsmen out for 36 in the last home series in 2020-21.

Australia can only draw confidence from that record, said wicketkeeper Alex Carey on Tuesday, who was bemused by the public's reaction to the defeat in Perth.