The ongoing India-Australia bilateral test series is turning out to be pretty interesting than what people and fans had imagined it to be. Now, all eyes are set towards Ranchi, as JSCA International Stadium Complex is set to host its first ever international test. With this test match, Ranchi will become the 26^th test venue in India to have hosted an international test.

India vs Australia 2017

With India have now leveled the series, the pressure is back on the Aussie side to win the third test. Sources telling us that Ranch pitch will be a spin-friendly track. So, fans won’t need to lose out heart if their favorite batsmen bat pathetically at this test. However, if a batsman showed the guts and temperament that Steve Smith did in 1^st test at Pune, then he should get a good innings.

Both first and second test got finished even without completing five days play. In both tests, bowlers shone more than the batsmen. Steve O’Keefe completely shattered India’s strong batting line up in the first innings with his six wicket haul and then Nathan Lyon repeated the same with his five for in the very next innings. Ranchi pitch is also expected to be similar like Pune and Bangalore.

Until now, Ranchi has hosted four One Day International (ODI) matches and total runs in any match haven’t aggregated more than even six runs per over, which is quite rare these days. Indian skipper Virat Kohli didn’t get much runs in the first and second test, so lots of expectations will be from him when he steps on to the field at Ranchi this Thursday.

For India, everything is going in the right direction. With Lokesh Rahul maneuvering the first few overs of the match carefully scoring good, now it is for the middle order to rise up to the occasion as well.

Virat Kohli in particular needs to play a longer knock to infuse a fresh sense of determination into his team. Though Ravinder Jadeja and R Ashwin are bowling fantastically in the series, but if India wish to take the lead 2-0 up then some magnificent contribution from our batsmen is also needed. A victory at Ranchi will help India take an unassailable lead of 2-0 with no chance of losing the series, but a draw will eventually put pressure on India. The team will then have to win the last test at Dharamsala under any circumstances.

Murali Vijay is expected to return to Indian opening slot replacing Abhinav Mukund. For Australia, both Mitchell Marsh and Starc are out of the test owing to their respective injuries. The explosive Aussie all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is expected to make a comeback in this test. Maxwell got 80 runs and 7 wickets in the 3 tests that he played so far.

Probable XI (Both Teams)

India

Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Lokesh Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha (Wicket Keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Abhinav Mukund, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Australia

Steve Smith (Captain), David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Pat Cummins, Steve O’Keefe, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade (Wicket Keeper),Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.

Tags: 3rd Test, Australia, India, JSCA International Stadium Complex, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Preview, Ranchi, Steve Smith, Test Match, Virat Kohli