India are leading the five-match series 1-0 after thrashing Australia by 295 runs in the first Test in Perth. The Rohit Sharma-led side will look to continue their winning momentum when they take on Pat Cummins' Australia in the second Test, which is a pink ball fixture in Adelaide, starting December 6.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Ahead of the start of the second Test, India have got a huge boost as head coach Gautam Gambhir will join the touring party in Australia on Tuesday, December 3, an ESPNCricinfo report said. 


Earlier, the India head coach had flown back home on November 26 due to personal reasons. As a result, Gambhir missed India's two-day tour game against the Australian Prime Minister's XI in Canberra.


In Gambhir's absence, the Indian support staff featuring Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel oversaw the team's training. They were also present during the warm-up game in Canberra, which India won by six wickets, with Harshit Rana (4 for 44) and Shubman Gill (50 in 62 balls) playing key roles.


After Gambhir's return, the team management will have discussions around India's playing XI for the Adelaide Test.


Rohit Sharma, the full-time Test captain, who missed the Perth Test to be with his wife for the birth of their second child, has already joined the squad and took part in the warm-up game. On the other hand, Gill, who had also missed the first Test due to injury, is also back in the reckoning after scoring a fifty in the warm-up match.


For the Adelaide Test, India are likely to bring in Rohit and Gill for Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, who were part of the XI in Perth. However, it will be interesting to see India's opening combination, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul having put on a double-century first-wicket stand in India's second innings in Perth.