If we look back to two matches played at Adelaide and MCG, it might appear two different games. I, personally, find little difference in respect of the impact of two contests. What was almost the same is Australia’s batting… very uncompetitive…on the other hand India’s a little bit better. So the scenario was not much different as brought out in the result.

 

In respect of the result, India got out in just 36 in the second innings of the first test and Australia comfortably chased down 89 with 8 wickets in hand. In the second match Australia trailed by more than 100 runs, set a target of just 70 in the second innings. That time India comfortably chased it down losing only two wickets. So it was like one went in favour of India, the other in favour of Australia.

 

India started a little bit ahead in the first test as I expected in my A Pink Ball Battle, but couldn’t make it as the game went for the other way, and I stuck to the same theory of Australia’s laziness in batting and tried to make it visible in my Australia vs India, 2nd Test Match Preview. The only new thing that drew my attention was that India responded well with their backups and Australia with their unchanged playing XI could not utilise the inexperience of the debutants and the absence of Kohli.

 

Back to tomorrow’s match, for Australia, David Warner might return to the side. He will make the side with a huge expectation of immediate success. It’s the only problem for Warner to deal with, otherwise, he’ll take the game away from India. If Will Pucovski is fit, he may replace Burns who is not in rhythm against Indian pacers. Off form Smith has to take more time in the crease and he’ll better go hard against Ashwin to make his job a little bit tough. Labuschagne is a fantastic player and he needs a partnership either with Smith or with Travis Head.

 

India went for Rohit in their announced XI, but I think K. L. Rahul should have played in place of Mayank Agarwal to join hands with Gill. Pujara and Rahane are in form and Hanuma Vihari at No. 5 has to play a longer innings. Rishabh Pant is such a batsman that in many occasions he is the cause of any turn around. I never thought about Rohit Sharma in Sidney Test as I prefer Rahul at the top to him and at the same time to replace Rohit with Vihari may have come out to be a gamble.

 

Both the teams have a balanced pace attack. Navdeep Saini will replace Umesh Yadav, I think, and it’s a routine change as Natarajan is too inexperienced to take on Oz batsmen. India possess an excellent pair of spin bowlers. As Australia are playing only one spinner, Green has to deliver with a better arm.

 

It’s a typical Australian track which apart from being swing bowling friendly, might also offer the spinners a little bit of help. It’s a fantastic wicket to bat and therefore, We can expect some water in the dried up scores in the last two matches.