Both India and Australia will now be traveling to Delhi for the 2nd Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The 2nd Test will be played in the Arun Jaitley Stadium from 17 to 21 February.
The pitch of the Arun Jaitley Stadium will be another shocker for Australia as from the beginning of 2013, spin bowlers in Delhi have averaged 29.80, compared to 36.53 for seamers. In the two Tests Australia has played in Delhi this century, spin bowlers have claimed 27 of the team’s 30 wickets. The average first innings total on this pitch is 342, but it goes down to 165 in the 4th innings.
Hence, Australia will try to include 3 spinners in their playing 11 for the 2nd Test as two spinners in the form of Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy were not enough to restrict Team India to a lower score in the last Test. Australia has called up Matthew Kuhnemann as a replacement for leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson who is leaving the touring squad for the birth of his child.
Apart from the spinners, Travis Head is likely to be back along with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in the 2nd Test.