Australia take confidence from pink ball record ahead of second India Test

MELBOURNE: Australia will draw confidence from their exceptional record in day-night tests and expect to rebound from their Perth setback when they face India in the second match in Adelaide, wicketkeeper Alex Carey has said.Australia have won 11 of their 12 pink ball tests and all seven they have played at Adelaide Oval, including a victory over India in the last home test series when they skittled Virat Kohli’s team for 36.

“We’re excited. We should take a lot - and we do take a lot - of confidence out of our record from pink ball cricket,” Carey told reporters on Tuesday. “It doesn’t mean we’ll have the success but I think our methods, our style of play and the experience we have with this group, we’ll bounce back from Perth.

“I’m sure India will be confident from the last game as well, so it will be a great contest,” added Carey. India scored a resounding 295-run victory at Perth Stadium in the opening test of the five-match series.

Australia’s winning streak in day-night tests was ended in January by the West Indies, who won a cliffhanger by eight runs at the Gabba. Australia head into the second test starting on Friday with some concern over the fitness of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who pulled up sore after bowling 17 overs in Perth.

Australian media have speculated that Marsh may be retained as a specialist batsman alone, though selectors brought in another all-rounder into the squad in uncapped Beau Webster. Carey said he thought Marsh would be fit to play and had not heard otherwise from the team.

“His batting has been fantastic since he’s come back into this team and his bowling again -- he took some handy wickets,” he said. “Hopefully he is right and ready to go.”