An astute reader of the game both on and off the field, Ashwin might have gauged what was in store going forward and that perhaps made it easier for him to take a call.
"One stat stands out: 375,000 people coming through the gates in that Melbourne Test match, beating the record set 90 years ago of 350,000," Shastri said.
'Unique action, and it's a little bit tricky to pick up some cues.'
On previous tours Down Under, India have twice played opening Tests in November. India lost both those Tests, both at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Rohit had missed the opening Test due to the birth of his second child.
Without bigger contributions from their senior players -- Masood and Babar Azam among them -- Pakistan may struggle to prevent the losing streak from stretching to 16 in Melbourne, for all of Hafeez's fighting words.
'He showed an awareness of what was required, which belied the fact that he was making his Test debut.'
Australia trail 1-0 in the five-Test series against India after being thrashed in the Perth opener by 295 runs.
India were scheduled to begin their tour of Australia with a closed-door warm-up match against the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led India A at the WACA in Perth from November 15 to 17.
'We have nothing but respect for every Indian cricketer who takes the field on Friday'
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the second Test against Australia in Adelaide?
Despite the heavy defeat, Australia are unlikely to make wholesale changes to their playing eleven and have retained the same squad for the Adelaide fixture.
The iconic MCG won't have the bounce of Perth or the seam movement of Gabba but it will still be pace-friendly with 6mm of grass covering
Former India batter Ajay Jadeja defended head coach Gautam Gambhir from the criticism he has received following the 0-3 drubbing against New Zealand.
The Indian team is brave and supremely confident in its ability to win from any situation, said England's all-time great Alastair Cook.
Australia's capitulation in Perth triggered damning assessments of the team's performance in home media.
At the end of the first day of play, it is the home side that is firmly in control, and India that is now reduced to chasing the game.
Virat, a player often hyped and celebrated on Australian soil, generates headlines, catchy articles and massive viewership numbers whenever he lands Down Under.
'Maybe he got some indication from the team management that he is no longer in the scheme of things.'
Chhetri and Kohli share a special and endearing relationship, bonded by their extraordinary levels of fitness and love for their nation and respective sports.
Indian cricket has produced a generational superstar in Yashasvi Jaiswal and will remain in good health even when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma decide to call time on their careers, said former Australia World Cup winner Darren Lehmann.
Australia's star batter Travis Head believes opening the batting in Test cricket is a "specialist job" and has ruled himself out of contention to replace veteran David Warner.
McSweeney was dismissed by Bumrah four times across six innings and the Australia selectors have replaced him with teenage sensation Sam Konstas for the Melbourne and Sydney Test.
India pace bowler Akash Deep played down concerns over skipper Rohit Sharma's knee injury in the build-up to the fourth Test against Australia this week after the batsman was hit during a practice session on Sunday.
India decided against playing a match against an Australian domestic side in the run up to the five-match Test series, starting in Perth from November 22
'When Nathan Lyon was bowling I saw two or three balls without any drift. So, I thought of taking on Lyon so that we get some quick runs.'
Bumrah now has 36 wickets on Australian soil, and the batter he's dismissed most times is his opposite number Pat Cummins (6).
Before his dismissal, Kohli showcased glimpses of his class, creaming Gus Atkinson for a delightful four through mid-on with a gorgeous on-drive in the 18th over.
After being bundled out for 150 in their first innings, India staged a sensational fightback to humble Australia by 295 runs in the first Test in Perth on Monday
The world No. 2 India are heading into the five-Test Border-Gavaskar series, starting in Perth on Friday, following their whitewash at home, which ended their 12-year unbeaten run in their own backyard.
Following is a fact box on the second Test of the four-match series between Australia and India:
Rookie Australia opener Nathan McSweeney admitted feeling "devastated" after being dropped for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, but vowed to work hard to reclaim his spot in the national team.
India captain Rohit Sharma has backed Virat Kohli to overcome his problems
India surpassed that mark when Richa Ghosh hammered a four in the first ball of the 109th over bowled by Annerie Dercksen.
McSweeney will make his Test debut in the series opener in Perth next week, the 25-year-old given the chance to make the role his own following Warner's retirement earlier this year.
Virat Kohli's subdued 17 off 69 balls extended his lean patch in the series.
Pakistan are already depleted in attack, with injured quick Naseem Shah sidelined and Haris Rauf having opted out of the series to play in Australia's T20 Big Bash League.
The right-hander feels that keeping India's relatively inexperienced pace attack, aside from Jasprit Bumrah, on the field for as long as possible could be the key for the hosts in the five-Test series beginning in Perth on Friday.
In the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah led India to their most dominant win in Australia, in the series opener in Perth.
In a video that surfaced on social media, Rahul was seen holding the right hand while receiving treatment.
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