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Virat Kohli to lead India as Australia series begins in shadow of Phillip Hughes' death

India and Australia clash in the first test match at Adelaide on December 9.

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Virat Kohli confirmed as stand-in skipper

Virat Kohli will lead India for the first time in Tests after regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was ruled out due to injury even as a fit-again Michael Clarke was confirmed Australia's captain for what promises to be an emotional opening Test starting at Adelaide on Tuesday.

Kohli, who recently led India to an ODI whitewash over Sri Lanka at home, will be in-charge of the team for the first time in the five-day format.

Dhoni, who joined the squad on Saturday, has failed to recover from a thumb injury. The 33-year-old was originally ruled out of the opening Test but came back in contention after the schedule of the series was rejigged following Phillip Hughes' tragic death.

Related: Virat Kohli to captain India, Michael Clarke fit to lead Australia

Dhoni, who joined the squad on Saturday, has failed to recover from a thumb injury. The 33-year-old was originally ruled out of the opening Test but came back in contention after the schedule of the series was rejigged following Phillip Hughes' tragic death.

 

Kohli's take on DRS

Virat Kohli has stuck to the party line on cricket's decision review system (DRS), saying his team would only endorse its use if it were 100 percent accurate.

Though India shuns the DRS for all bilateral tournaments, with world governing body, the ICC, maintaining that both parties must agree to its use, they will have to play with the system at the upcoming one-day World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year.

Also Read:No budging on DRS for stand-in India captain Virat Kohli

India's four-test series against Australia will go ahead without the use of the sometimes controversial DRS, with the tourists rejecting it in every bilateral tournament they play.

 

Injury worries hit Indian camp

Indian fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been virtually ruled out of India's first two Tests in Australia due to a left ankle injury. 

A statement from the team management stated that Bhuvneshwar 'is recovering from his left ankle pain and he could be available for first Test selection.' However, ESPNCricinfo sources say that the pacer will not be in contention till the third Test in Melbourne.

Bhuvneshwar was India's highest wicket-taker during the five-Test series in England taking 19 wickets, and also scored three fifties down the order. Without Kumar, India are likely to field a three-pronged pace attack consisting of Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron and Mohammed Shami.

Spotlight:Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to miss first two Tests due to ankle injury

The pacer missed India's training session in Adelaide on Sunday, the venue of the first test beginning Tuesday.

 

Australia aim to shrug off Phil Hughes' incident; carry on with the game

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes that the first Test against India would be the biggest mental battle for the Australians following the tragic demise of late cricketer Phillip Hughes.

None of the things that have happened before compare to what the players are dealing with after Phillip's death, adding that he has complete faith in the team to perform well, wrote Ponting in The Australian newspaper.

Also Read:Ponting says Australia face 'biggest mental battle' in Adelaide Test against India

Ponting believes that cricket at the highest level is a job that has to be played regardless of what is going on in one's own life, adding that just like everyone else, cricketers too have to show up at work when things are rough.

 

Mind games by the Australian camp?

All-rounder Shane Watson on Sunday said his team will be ready to 'dish out aggressive cricket' and 'inflict pain' on India when the opening Test gets underway at Adelaide on Tuesday.

India had inflicted a 4-0 loss on Australia the last time the teams met in India in February-March 2013. That was in reply to the 4-0 hammering they had received on their last tour Down Under in 2011-12.

"We've played our best cricket when we are aggressive.That's ever since I've been involved in the Australian cricket team. We are aggressive with bat and ball, especially with the ball as we were during the last Ashes series.They hammered us in their conditions so we have a lot to give back to them in our conditions" -Shane Watson.

The hosts, who have resumed training last Friday, are currently recovering from the shock death of team-mate Hughes who was struck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott in a Sheffield Shield game on November 24. He died two days late in a Sydney hospital.

Related: Australia will inflict 'pain' on India, says all-rounder Shane Watson

The 33-year-old allrounder said last week has been the 'most challenging phase' for the team but he believed that his side will play with the 'same aggression' as in the past and avenge their 0-4 loss to India in 2013.

 

Keep a close eye on this page for further India versus Australia updates!

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