Australia vs India 2018-19: India’s best XI for the first Test

India’s track record Down Under is almost unbelievably poor; they have won only five matches against the hosts in Australia. However, this time things are expected to change, as Australia are looking like a weaker batting unit in the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner.

Many believe that this is India’s best chance to win their first ever Test series in Australia - as long as they get their team selection right.

Here is a selection of what could be India’s best XI in the first Test, taking into account past performances against the Aussies and current form.

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Openers: Murali Vijay and Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma

An injury to the in-form Prithvi Shaw has left a question mark as to who are going to be India’s openers. It was most likely going to be Shaw and Murali Vijay, but now there's quite a bit of uncertainty.

The alternate best option for India is to go with Vijay and Rohit Sharma. Rohit usually bats in the middle order for India in Tests, but he has proved himself to be a worthy opener. ‘The Hitman’ has been India’s most prolific opener in ODIs, and it’s natural to expect that his form should eventually carry on into the longest format of the game.

Looking at the stats of both these players, it is evident that Vijay has already been super-successful against the Aussies in the past. He has scored four centuries and 6 fifties in 13 matches against them.

Moreover, those numbers improve when playing in Australia. Vijay has scored 1 century and 4 half centuries in 4 matches when batting Down Under. That makes him a perfect choice to open for India.

On the hand, Rohit’s Test stats tell a different tale. He has scored just one 50 in three matches in Australia, at an average of just 28.

India would have to hope that his newfound confidence at the top will help get them off to good starts. Right now, this seems to be India’s best option.

Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari

Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara

At number 3, it’s most likely going to be Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara hasn’t had the best year, but it’s important to remember that everyone goes through rough patches in their career.

In 2018, he has accumulated 509 runs in 17 innings with one hundred and three fifties. However, his experience will come in handy while taking on the mighty Aussie bowling attack spearheaded by Mitchell Start and Josh Hazlewood.

Pujara’s record against Australia is also very good. He has scored two hundred and 6 fifties against them, although his track record in Australia is still quite poor. He will have to put all that behind him and look to build strong partnerships in the middle.

Virat Kohl is India’s best batsman at the moment and he will most definitely bat at number 4. The Indian skipper has had one of the best years of his career in 2018, and just seems to be scoring runs for fun at the moment.

Kohli's batting form against the Aussies only seems to improve exponentially. He has scored a total of 6 tons against Australia and averages 50.84, with 5 of those centuries coming in Australia.

With the form Kohli is currently in, we can expect another cracker of a performance from him. He will be looking to lead the charge and take the fight to the Aussies.

Ajinkya Rahane hasn’t had the best of years in 2018. He has been struggling, to put it mildly, and hasn’t been of much help to India. But Rahane is a reliable batsman when the team needs to stabilize the innings after a collapse at the top.

If India find themselves struggling at 100/5, then Rahane could be the man who can save their innings. Rahane is also someone who holds a good track record against Australia, and he will look to pile on more runs this series.

Hanuma Vihari has produced good results over the past few years in the domestic circuit, which has led to his selection. His form continued in India’s practice match, as he scored a fine half century batting in the middle order.

Vihari is someone the Australians may not know a lot about, and this could be used to India’s advantage.

Wicket-keeper: Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant

The fans have been rooting for Rishabh Pant ever since his arrival in the national team. He had gotten off to a rocky start against England, but he settled in after a while and now has a century and a couple of 90s to his name.

Pant is someone whose aggressive nature could prove useful at number 6. He holds a great first-class record, and even proved himself in the IPL tournament earlier this year.

Pant's unorthodox batting could take the Aussies by surprise. The Australian pitches will be a perfect platform for Pant to fully showcase his skills.

While Parthiv Patel is more experienced, Pant should be given a chance to play under such conditions. This is the only way that India can develop its talent for future series against challenging opponents.

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Spinner: Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja

Australia isn’t known for its turning pitches. Therefore, it would be a wise decision for India to go with only one spinner in its playing XI.

It also makes sense to go with someone like Jadeja over Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav, since Jadeja holds an impeccable track record against the Aussies. In eight matches against them, he has picked up 49 wickets with an average of 18.02, while Ashwin has picked up 71 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 32.49.

If we compare the strike rates, then Jadeja is still in the lead with 49.77 over Ashwin’s strike rate which is 68.14. That makes Jadeja India’s best option when it comes to the spin department.

Pace Bowlers - Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Umesh Yadav

Looking at India’s full squad for the entire Test series, there aren't a lot of options in terms of in-form bowlers. Given that Australia is a haven for pacers, it would be a good choice to go with three bowlers.

Umesh Yadav has been in good form since the IPL, picking up 18 wickets in just 4 Test matches. His fiery bowling spells will give the weakened Australian batting lineup a run for their money.

Jasprit Bumrah made his Test debut this year and hasn’t looked back since. He is off to a good start, having played 6 matches and scalped 28 wickets.

Bumrah brings a lot of pace and accuracy to the Indian bowling lineup. He may not be experienced, but he is one of India’s best limited overs bowlers. If he is able to replicate his ODI success in this Test series, then Australia will be in for a world of trouble.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been one of India’s most consistent bowlers in recent years. He may not have a lot of pace, but his swing bowling and variations will prove vital in rattling many batsmen in this series. If India is to win this series, then Bhuvneshwar will likely have a huge hand to play.