India vs. Australia 2nd Test: Justin Langer Reveals Aussies' Playing XI For Melbourne Game

Australia head coach Justin Langer has hinted that the hosts are going to field an unchanged XI for the second Test against India in Melbourne, which starts on Saturday.

Australia will go with the same playing XI from the first Test, in which the World No. 1 side defeated India by eight wickets, unless there is an unexpected injury in the next two days, Langer said in an interview, cricket.com.au reported.

"I'd be a pretty courageous man to change the XI for this Test match after the last one. At this stage, unless something happens over the next few days – and things can happen in the world we live in – we'll go in with the same XI, I'd say," Langer said.

David Warner, who missed the opening Test, has been ruled out of the second Test as well due to the groin injury he suffered last month during the limited-overs leg. It gives Australia's new opening pair, Joe Burns and Matthew Wade, another chance to play at the top order.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which has a capacity of 90,000, is expected to witness 30,000 spectators for the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India – the first time the crowd have been allowed into the MCG since the Women's T20 World Cup final where Australia won the cup by defeating India in March.

Even though the ambiance at this year's Boxing Day Test would not be the same, Langer is just happy to be at the MCG.

"30,000 is better than none. It wasn't that long ago, probably a few months ago, we wondered whether we would have a Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Every time I come here, I pinch myself. It's just an amazing stadium. There's so much hype about it and the boys love playing here," added Langer in the same interview.

Australia thrashed India by eight wickets in the opening Test, which was a day-night fixture in Adelaide. The hosts will go into the Melbourne Test with a 1-0 lead, while the touring party is already on the backfoot with two key players unavailable for the rest of the series: Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami.

While Kohli has begun his paternity leave, fast bowler Shami, who was one of India's star performers in their Test series win Down Under in 2018-19, has been ruled out for at least six weeks after suffering a wrist fracture in the Adelaide Test earlier this month.

In Kohli's absence, Ajinkya Rahane will lead Team India in the remaining games of the ongoing four-match Test series against Australia. After the Boxing Day Test, the final two matches are scheduled to be played in Sydney (Jan. 7-11) and Brisbane (Jan. 15-19).

Australia's Playing XI: Joe Burns, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.