NEW DELHI: Australian captain Pat Cummins expects another trial by spin in the second Test against India but finds himself grappling with selection dilemmas as he tries to lock in the playing XI for the match in New Delhi beginning on Friday.

World number one Australia succumbed to an innings defeat inside three days of the opening Test in Nagpur where Indian spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin wreaked havoc on a turning track.

Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Cameron Green missed the opener with finger injuries but are on the mend.

Green’s return would allow Australia to harness uncapped Matt Kuhnemann with Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy in a three-pronged spin attack at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.

“Having a right-hander helps and him providing our fifth bowling option also helps,” Cummins told reporters of Green’s possible return.

“He’s a big player, it certainly helps the team function well from batting and bowling.

“You have got to be able to perform as well, he’s still coming back from that injury, and he’s only had a couple of sessions where he’s catching with a hard ball. He had a really good session yesterday but we’ll see how he pulls up.”

Scott Boland may retain the second quick’s place, alongside Cummins, even if Starc regains full fitness.

“I think there’s a conversation,” Cummins said. “We’ll work that out by the end of today, I hope. He’s one of the world’s premier bowlers in these types of conditions. We’ll see,” he said of Starc.

He also threw his weight behind opener David Warner, who managed scores of one and 10 in Nagpur.

“When he puts the pressure back to opposition, he is pretty hard to bowl to,” Cummins said.

Home batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who will be playing his 100th Test on Friday, said India would go all out to maintain their winning streak and seal their place in the final of the World Test Championship in June.

“I’m really excited to play my 100th Test but we are playing an important series,” Pujara told reporters.

“Hopefully, we win this test match and move on and win another Test match which will ensure we qualify for the WTC finals.

“My dream is to win that WTC final for the team.”

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2023