🏏India tour of Australia, 2025: Australia vs India, 2nd ODI🏏

🏏India tour of Australia, 2025: Australia vs India, 2nd ODI at Adelaide Oval on 23/10/2025 at 9AM IST🏏

It's been well over 10 years. But one of the most prominent murals till date inside the main Adelaide Airport terminal is that of a packed Adelaide Oval, engulfed in a sea of blue Indian jerseys.

It's a constant reminder of the rather special and unique relationship Indian cricket has shared with the Adelaide Oval. As has its most popular cricketer of recent times. But unlike with Virat Kohli, who's always loved scoring runs at what he considers his favourite venue, Indian cricket has had an equal mix of glorious and notorious moments here.

Ranging from the lowly lows of being bowled out for 36 in a Test match to posting famous victories across formats, some that have been etched in the highest echelons of Indian cricket history. With that World Cup win over Pakistan probably still the most memorable highlight at the Adelaide Oval.

With reports about tickets for the second ODI being sold out, the atmosphere is expected to be somewhat similar to that famous night a decade ago. What with India now in a must-win position to stay alive in the series. Not to forget that this will indeed be their final sighting of Kohli at the Adelaide Oval.

If anything the weather around the Adelaide Oval has been hospitable enough to the Indians to provide them with enough dry spells for two mostly full-fledged training sessions. While Virat Kohli had a lengthy hit on Tuesday and was seen in great spirits to be back in Adelaide, fellow veteran Rohit Sharma was at it on both days, eager to get his series going.

Though it's unlikely that whatever transpires on Thursday will end up as a mural anywhere in the city, it does promise to be quite a spectacle regardless as India look to create another memory at one of their favorite homes away from home.

Kotak: Too early to judge Kohli and Rohit

In the spotlight: Matthew Short and Rohit Sharma

While those in the Ashes frame are hogging the spotlight, Matthew Short has gone under the radar given he is not part of those discussions. But Short has for some time been on the fringes of Australia's white-ball teams, pegged back by inconsistencies and, more recently, injuries. Unlike Renshaw and Philippe, Short did not make the most of his opportunity in the first ODI, making just 8 off 17 and falling tamely to left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Short is likely to be retained at his favoured Adelaide Oval, where he has long dominated for Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. He will need to perform well with competition starting to heat up amid a transition of the batting order.

Rohit Sharma succumbed under the early onslaught in Perth, nicking Hazlewood to second slip on 8. In his return to the field since the IPL, he scratched around, but did show off his trim physique with hard running between the wickets. Rohit has been working tirelessly in the Adelaide nets as he hopes to turn back the clock and alleviate some pressure amid doubts over whether he can make it to the next World Cup.

Team News

Australia

There are a few notable returns for Australia with hometown hero Alex Carey definitely back in the XI. Marnus Labuschagne was the first to the ground, spending nearly half an hour with the ground-staff talking pitches, and he was first in the nets for a hit. There is a likelihood of him coming into the side for Cooper Connolly, with Mitch Owen potentially moving down to No 7. Adam Zampa is also back in the mix and should replace the impressive Matt Kuhnemann.

Probable XI:Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Matt Short, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly/Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

India

There was a lot of chat around Yashasvi Jaiswal, who spent most of Wednesday bowling his leg-spin. Though everyone including the couple of selectors on tour were seen talking to the young opener, it's unlikely that India will make too many changes to their team from Perth.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh

Pitch and conditions

There has been rain in Adelaide in the lead-up, with the SACA ground staff using UV lights to dry the wicket ahead of the match. In a relief, no rain is forecast on Thursday, although conditions are expected to be overcast and cool. The Adelaide Oval is renowned as a batting paradise because of the shorter boundaries square of the wicket.

IND vs AUS 2nd ODI: Pitch Report

Interestingly, India’s last defeat in ODIs in Adelaide dates back 17 years to 2008. In their last ODI here six years ago, the Men in Blue played the near-perfect game with Virat Kohli’s 39th century powering a 298-run chase with four balls to spare. With relatively shorter square wickets when compared to Perth and slightly overcast conditions, batting could favour the likes of Kohli and Rohit who had below-par outings in Perth. In their last game here, Australia were rolled by Pakistan’s pacers for a paltry 163, resulting in a nine-wicket loss.

IND vs AUS 2nd ODI: Weather Report

An important thing to consider is that there may be a possibility of rainfall during the early stages of the game after persistent showers had partly hampered India’s first training session at the venue. According to Accuweather, however, rain is expected to stay away from the contest on Thursday in Adelaide even as overcast conditions may continue to linger around the city. The conditions are primed to remain partly sunny with temperatures only climbing up to 21 degrees Celsius in the afternoon and negligible chances of rainfall. The temperatures will plunge to 9 degrees Celsius through the evening, where the skies are expected to hold well for the game.

Stats and trivia

• Kohli needs 54 runs to move past Kumar Sangakkara and into second place on the ODI runs list.
• Travis Head needs 50 to reach 3000 ODI runs.
• Starc is five wickets away from joining Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shane Warne as the only Australians to take 250 ODI wickets.
• Australia have not beaten India in an ODI in Adelaide since January 2008. India completed successful chases in the past two matches between the teams in 2011 and 2019.

Quotes

"Adelaide's always a good place to play and it will be heaving tomorrow. It's a sellout so it's a great chance for guys to show off their skills."

Australia batter Matthew Renshaw

"Both Virat and Rohit looked in good touch. They batted well in the nets yesterday. I believe they are doing well."

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak

AUS vs IND — Head-to-Head Records in ODIs

Matches Played 153

Won by Australia 85

Won by India 58

No Result 10

Tied 00

First-ever Fixture December 06, 1980 (IND Won)

Most-recent Fixture October 19, 2025 (AUS Won)

AUS vs IND — Probable Best Performers of the Match

Probable Best Batter — Virat Kohli

Ace batter Virat Kohli endured a disappointing return to the international arena in the Perth encounter, getting dismissed for an eight-ball duck off a Mitchell Starc delivery. However, given the truckload of runs he has scored in ODIs Down Under, it can be expected that the Indian batting maestro is seen at his best in the upcoming clash. A big score is always on the cards when Kohli plays and that makes him a batter to watch out for in the epic fixture on Thursday.

Probable Best Bowler — Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood broke the back of the Indian batting order in the opening match of the series, getting the big wickets of former skipper Rohit Sharma and vice captain Shreyas Iyer. He was very economical with the ball, as his side was able to restrict the Men in Blue to a paltry total in a rain-marred outing in Perth. The ace pacer is expected to be among the wickets in the Adelaide contest as well. As a result, he will be the bowler to watch out for the Shubman Gill-led side.

I hope Kuldeep makes it to the team today. Washi can go out. But Gambhir is obsessed with all rounders. I feel terrible for Kuldeep. He’s in great form but just because he can’t bat, he doesn’t make it to the team.