India’s decision to continue batting at 10.20pm on Sunday night after already passing the total of 240 posted by the Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval summed up the casual nature of the 46-over-a-side fixture.
This was effectively a glorified practice match, with a few handshakes and cap presentations from Anthony Albanese honouring a long tradition of the country’s leader picking a cricket team to face a touring side.
Yet there were still some clues to be gleaned from the 89.2 overs played in Canberra, just five days out from the second Test in Adelaide.
The teams
Both sides were allowed to list more than 11 players on their team sheets, with anyone able to bat and bowl. Australia’s 14-man squad was particularly young, as is customary with a PM’s XI. Only two players – Matt Renshaw and Scott Boland – were older than 27.
There wasn’t a lot to deduce from Australia’s side given Boland is the only one likely to play in Adelaide, with Josh Hazlewood out injured (side strain). At the toss, there was also little to gauge from India’s team sheet given everyone in the touring party was on it. But once they came out to bat in the second innings, there were some curious choices.
Rohit Sharma leads India onto Manuka Oval for a match against a Prime Minister’s XI. Credit: Getty Images
India’s usual skipper, Rohit Sharma, missed his side’s win in Perth due to the birth of his second child and it was always likely he’d get a hit in Canberra against the pink ball.
However, it wasn’t as an opener, with Rohit coming in at No.4. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made 161 in the second innings in Perth, opened with KL Rahul, with Shubman Gill in at first drop. Virat Kohli didn’t play.
Rohit has opened the batting in his last 64 Test innings since 2018. The fact he didn’t come out to face PM’s XI opening bowlers Boland and Jack Nisbet was a major hint that India are considering a shift down the order for the veteran, with 4270 Test runs at 42.27, potentially to No.5.
Jaiswal and Rahul’s 201-run partnership in Perth was the highest by an Indian opening pair in a Test in Australia. Keeping them at the top makes sense.
KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal go about their business in Canberra. Credit: Getty Images
The only minor concern is Rohit’s form. He is averaging 29.4 in 2024, his worst calendar year return since 2018 (26.28). Rohit’s average at No.5 from nine Tests is 29.13.
Meanwhile, Gill looks set to replace Devdutt Padikkal at No.3 after recovering from a finger injury. That much was virtually certain when Gill retired on 50 and Padikkal was given seven meaningless balls at the end of the night, facing the likes of part-timer Jack Clayton, who has bowled 42 deliveries in 28 first-class matches.
Boland goes wicketless
When rain washed out day one on saturday, Hazlewood was officially ruled out of the Adelaide Test. Boland, speaking a few hours later, said his intention was to still bowl in Canberra.
Boland (0-36 from 10 overs) was the most economical bowler on his team but going wicketless under lights with a pink ball was not ideal. The 35-year-old beat the bat a handful of times but gave four of India’s batsmen – Jaiswal, Rahul, Gill and Nitish Kumar Reddy – a good look at him.
Scott Boland is likely to replace Josh Hazlewood in Australia’s XI for the Adelaide Test starting Friday. Credit: Getty Images
Boland has moderate figures of 4-227 (average 56.75) in first-class matches this season. Jaiswal and Reddy have never faced Boland in a Test, Rahul for only 12 balls, while Gill has been dismissed twice for five runs against the Australian in 2023.
Does Boland’s inability to make a breakthrough create headaches for Australian selectors? Unlikely, given he averages 13.7 in pink-ball Tests. But if wickets prove hard to come by in Adelaide for Boland, and Hazlewood is not fit for the third match in Brisbane, things could get interesting, with two spare pacemen (Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett) waiting in the wings.
Tension is rising between Australia and India
The Perth Test will be remembered for Jaiswal telling Mitchell Starc that he was bowling too slow. Things aren’t at boiling point yet but there was certainly tension and spice in Canberra. Harshit Rana didn’t take kindly to Sam Konstas smacking him all around the ground. Words were exchanged and Rana tried to intimidate the teenager. Fielders behind the wicket appeared to laugh at Konstas as he took the game on, sometimes with slogs across the line. He might make them pay one day.
Later, Australian opening bowler Nisbet sent down a brutal bouncer that hit Jaiswal on the glove. The red-headed New South Welshman ran down the pitch, stared at Jaiswal before flashing a smile of disdain. Words came back down the pitch, but stump microphones aren’t what they are in Tests in did not pick up exactly what was said. One thing is certain, though: India didn’t take a backwards step.
Keep an eye out
Konstas was the headline act but some other youngsters in the PM’s XI showed they, too, have bright futures. Only Konstas (107 off 97), Queensland’s Jack Clifton (40) and ACT Cricket’s Hanno Jacobs (61 off 60 balls) made more than 11 for the home side.
PM’s XI matches have always unearthed talent. In December 1999, a young Brett Lee ripped through India by removing VVS Laxman (3) and Sachin Tendulkar (2) to finish with figures of 4-25. Lee made his Test debut less than three weeks later in Melbourne.
There was not quite the same level of sheer pace on display, but NSW squad member Charlie Anderson was the pick of the bowlers with 2-30 and the prized scalps of Jaiswal and Rohit.
The 19-year-old took 3-37 for the Blues on his one-day debut in October after winning the Under-19 World Cup with Australia in February. He looks destined for big things and has a lovely action. His parents were all smiles in the crowd, too.
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