Publications
Partners
Kingston - Australia are set to field the same XI that won the first Test by nine wickets inside three days, but the West Indies are contemplating at least one change for the second and final match beginning on Thursday at Sabina Park.
With established opening batsman Chris Rogers again ruled out of consideration due to lingering symptoms of concussion, the tourists are banking on the mix of youth and experience that prevailed in the opening fixture in Dominica.
While confirming that the experienced left-hander, who was struck on the helmet batting in the nets three days before the first Test, will have a key role to play in the upcoming Ashes series in England, Australian captain Michael Clarke has reinforced that his team's winning desire remains undiminished.
"The hunger's there. I haven't noticed anything different," he said ahead of the second Test on a pitch expected to be more fast-bowler friendly than the dry, two-paced surface at Windsor Park.
"A mixture of youth and experience in a squad is pretty important because the youth continues to push you along and the experience of senior players helps those young players guide them through tough times."
Interestingly, it was one of the experienced newcomers who made a critical input in the visitors' first Test triumph.
Making his debut at the age of 35, Adam Voges' unbeaten 130 lifted Australia from the depths of 126 for six to 318 in their first innings.
West Indies, seeking their first Test win over Australia in 12 years, have to contend with selection headaches at the top of the order and the fitness of their most effective bowler from the first Test.
Shai Hope, who has struggled in the unaccustomed role of opening batsman, may have to make way for the uncapped Rajindra Chandrika, who is yet to score a first-class hundred and only averages 25.81 from 60 innings for his native Guyana.
Devendra Bishoo, another Guyanese, returned his best Test figures of six for 80 in the Australian first innings in Dominica.
However the leg-spinner had to leave the field twice for treatment to a badly bruised spinning finger that reduced his effectiveness during the Aussies' lower-order revival.
He was ruled out of the third and final Test against England in Barbados for the same reason five weeks earlier and there are concerns that the problem could resurface given the short time between the two Tests.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who played against the English when Bishoo was ruled out, is the likely replacement again should Bishoo be sidelined, although it is understood that the incumbent may be used more sparingly during the match to prolong his effectiveness.
Teams (probable)
West Indies
Kraigg Brathwaite, Rajindra Chandrika, Darren Bravo, Shane Dowrich, Marlon Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Denesh Ramdin (captain), Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor, Devendra Bishoo, Shannon Gabriel
Australia
David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Michael Clarke (captain), Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
