A general view of the Perth Stadium on Thursday ahead of the second Test match between Australia and India — AFP PERTH, Dec 13 (Reuters): The shiny new Perth Stadium is expected to conjure up nostalgia-tinged memories of its fiery predecessor, offering conditions a desperate Australia hope will spur a series-leveling victory over India in the second Test starting on Friday.
The 60,000-seat arena will host its first Test after a rich 47-year run at the nearby WACA, located on the opposite bank of the Swan River, and the grassy drop-in wicket unveiled on Thursday has fuelled anticipation of a pace bowler's paradise.
Recent results suggest that will be the case as ball has thoroughly dominated matches at the Burswood stadium this season, including Australia's tame dismissal for 152 in a heavy one-day international defeat to South Africa last month.
Australia had enjoyed a stranglehold over opponents on the fast and bouncy WACA wicket, losing just four Tests in the past two decades. India's famous 72-run victory in 2008 was their sole triumph at the WACA, halting a Ricky Ponting-led Australia's world-record equalling 16-match winning streak.
The tourists were humiliated by an innings and 37 runs four years later, the last time India played a Test in Perth.
After falling short by 31 runs in Adelaide, captain Tim Paine still has plenty of concerns about an inexperienced lineup, although Australia named an unchanged side for the test with struggling opener Aaron Finch retaining his place.
A confident India have been dealt a double injury blow, however, with batsman Rohit Sharma and spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin, who took 6-149 in Adelaide, ruled out on the eve of the Perth test.
In-form pace trio Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma remain available as India strive for a maiden test series triumph in Australia.
Squads: Australia: Marcus Harris, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb, Tim Paine (capt), Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc
India: Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav
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