India head into the first Test against Australia in Adelaide as the favourites (cricket.com.au Twitter Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Justin Langer was part of the Australian team that won a historic Test series in India in 2004
- Langer is now Australia coach as India eye their first ever Test series win Down Under
- India and Australia will meet in the first of the four-match series in Adelaide from December 6
Australia head coach Justin Langer has said the hosts will show "great respect" to Virat Kohli's Team India in the upcoming four-Test series, starting at Adelaide Oval on December 6.
Langer said he could sense the confidence in Virat Kohli's unit and that it reminds him of the "great Australian team" that won in India after ending more than a three-decade-long drought.
Contrary to the guarded opinions of a few Indian players, the visitors are being touted as favourites against the hosts, who are considerably weakened in the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner.
While Langer is wary of the quality of the opposition, he believes the weight of the past will put pressure on India.
As Langer points out, India's Test record in Australia is far from impressive. A 1-1 draw in 2004 under Sourav Ganguly was only the third time India avoided defeat Down Under. While an MS Dhoni-led side was blanked 4-0 in 2011-12, run-machine Kohli led from the front in 2014-15 as the visitors put up a valiant fight only to lose 2-0.
"You sense they're smelling blood. Just like the great Australian cricket team of 2001 felt and we just fell short (of winning in India) and we were able to (win in) 2004. You sense these moments. I'm sensing India feel that," Langer told SEN's Whately.
"They're a good team and they've got a couple of great players and we will show them great respect. They haven't had great success in Australia in the past, as Australia haven't had in India. They'll also be under great pressure, I think."
Four-man bowling attack for both teams in Adelaide
Australia named their playing XI for the first Test earlier in the day, leaving out all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and going in with a four-bowler attack.
India followed suit by naming only four frontline bowlers in their 12-man squad that also has Rohit Sharma.
Tim Paine's men will have a debutant opener on Thursday as Victoria opener Marcus Harris was named in the playing XI. On the other hand, India will have experienced campaigners Murali Vijay and KL Rahul opening as teenage sensation Prithvi Shaw is unavailable for the Adelaide Test due to an ankle injury.
All eyes will be on the two bowling attack as the fast bowlers will have a lot of work to do in the absence of an all-rounder in both the sides. India have opted for
R Ashwin as their lone spinner and the pace-bowling trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
With the temperature in Adelaide expected to soar as high as 40 degrees Celsius, managing the workload of their bowlers is going to be crucial for both Paine and Kohli.
Paine has also hinted that Australia will be looking to bat first if they win the toss at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
"You want to bat on days when it's 40 degrees. Normally, Australian teams like to bat first."
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