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AAP
AAP
Steve Larkin

India skipper at a loss over Australian Test fury

India captain Rohit Sharma speaks to media on the eve of the second Test against Australia. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)

On one hand, India captain Rohit Sharma insists he's oblivious to all the fuss around Australia's horror first-Test loss.

On the other, he's almost basking in it.

"I seriously have no idea about it so I don't know what I can say about it," Sharma told reporters in Adelaide on Thursday.

But then he added: "Clearly there's an environment which we want to enjoy."

Sharma missed India's 295-run thrashing of Australia in the series-opener in Perth.

The skipper watched from home, and then a plane, having remained in India for the birth of his second child, a boy born on November 15.

Sharma returns for the second Test in Adelaide starting on Friday after a prolonged period of Australian introspection about their Perth debacle.

Some pundits suggested there was a split in Australian ranks, others claimed careers were now on the line in a fevered reaction to the defeat.

Australian players shrugged off the response as an over-reaction and over-blown.

And Sharma said India's energies had been purely focused on countering the pink ball in the day-night fixture in Adelaide.

"You are so used to playing with red ball and the pink ball certainly does a little bit more than the red ball," he said.

"At the same time we have been training here for the past three days and I certainly felt that the more time you spend playing the pink ball, it gets a little easier.

"Obviously there will be challenges, pink ball will have its own challenge under lights, during the day as well - you just have to find your own way of dealing with it.

"That is something that we as a team have spoken in the group: try and respond to that current situation.

"Whatever is happening at that particular time, you feel what is best for you to do at that point in time, you have to do it.

"And the team will back that decision."

Australia have won all seven of its day-night Tests in Adelaide while India have played just one in the South Australian capital.

That match was in 2020 when the tourists lost by eight wickets after being dismissed for their lowest Test score - all out 36 - in the second innings.

"We have watched a lot of games that have been played here as well," Sharma said.

"And we do understand what the conditions have to offer ... we are quite aware of all of those things."

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