BGT 2024-25: Picking playing XI biggest challenge for India in Adelaide, says ex-women's skipper Anjum Chopra

The second Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test is almost here with India and Australia ready to battle it out in Adelaide under the lights with a pink-ball from December 6. India is going into the match with a 1-0 lead after winning the first Test by 295 runs.

Australia, meanwhile would be looking to take confidence from their last Adelaide outing against India when they bowled the visitors out for just 36 runs in the second innings and won the Test by eight wickets.

While the history is on Australia's side in Adelaide - India would be aiming at putting an aberration there - just like they did in Perth.

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Also Read:Adelaide | The ground where Virat Kohli gave sneak peek into India's future on tour of 2014

Ahead of the second Test, former India women's team skipper Anjum Chopra spoke to WION and said that India's biggest challenge will be picking the playing XI - given the return of skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Here's the full interview:

The pink-ball Test is here. Do you think that it is okay for Rohit Sharma to come in at number four and KL Raul to continue to open given the performance in the last Test?

It's a very small challenge right now in front of India, that Rahul comes in at one or two or he bats at three or four. I think the bigger challenge is what is going to be the playing 11 for India, which I'm sure that the management would be thinking. we have options which are very good. Everyone is a very good option, but then which is your playing 11. So I guess the discussion point will not be who bats at what position. The discussion point will be who is there in the team to bat, in the 11 to bat.

Do you back Washington Sundar's chances in playing 11 over Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja again?

As I mentioned, the Indian team will probably be thinking as to who should be there in the 11. Because fortunately for us, we are in a situation where they can just close their eyes and pick players. It's that good a situation, fortunately for us. And because we have won the first test match, the confidence is also there which was always there, but it has strengthened that confidence. So whether it's Jadeja or Ashwin or Washy or even Nitish Kumar Reddy, you can pick anyone and play. So it's a very happy situation, pleasing position to be in for Indian cricket. Because we are in Australia, we are thinking who should play rather than thinking, oh, my God, who is in better form to play? So That's a very nice situation to be in.

What's your result prediction for this Test and the complete series?

See how quickly the question changes. Just prior to the series, everyone was thinking, Oh, what will India do (after losing home series to NZ)? 4-0, 4-1, 3-0, whatever we were thinking. Now we won the first Test from adversity, and we are saying this (positive series result). I think it's one Test at a time, one day at a time. And as a cricketer, it is one ball at a time. It's not that we have won the first Test,so Australians have taken a leave. So it is one Test at a time.