IND vs AUS 3rd Test: Batters need to perform better

Brisbane: "This is the era of bowlers," Gautam Gambhir had proclaimed exactly two months to the day in Bengaluru, ahead of India's first Test against New Zealand.

"You actually need the batters also to score some runs," Rohit Sharma had insisted the very next day, when his opinion was sought on Gambhir's take. 

While this isn't intended to suggest that the team's head coach and captain were not in sync with each other, it's a harsh reality that India have lost the last four of their five Tests (three against New Zealand in India and one against Australia in Adelaide) with their batters failing to manage competitive totals, let alone big totals that they once used to churn out for fun. Their first innings struggles are particularly glaring.  

Since the Bengaluru Test, only once India have managed to top a total of 200 on only one occasion in the first innings while on two other occasions, their first innings totals have been bigger than the second innings but not by big margins (the sequence: 46, 462, 156, 245, 263, 121, 150, 487/d, 180, 175).    

"Every batter who is out there or who is playing for this team wants to get runs and wants to get big runs and get the team to a good place," Rohit said when pointed about India's batting downturn in recent months after the Adelaide Test.

"It's just that sometimes when you are trying everything you can from your side, it just doesn't happen. And I can see guys are putting a lot of effort in their plans for what they want to do. There's been a lot of conversation around that within the group which is what I will be looking into."

There's no doubt about the effort they have been putting in at their practice sessions that last anywhere between three and four hours. The senior batters have been sweating it out at "nets" for hours, fine-tuning their techniques while simulating Australian bowlers and internalising the ability to leave the balls in the corridor alone.

The bounce at the Gabba, which will host the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, will test all their preparations, particularly in early summer when the pitch is fresh and hard with less wear and tear. The last two Tests that Australia have lost here were in mid-January with the square having taken a fair beating.

Early summer means unbearable heat also. Temperatures hover around 22 or 24 but it feels like 32 or 34 with humidity leaving you sapped. But rain is also expected over the next four days at various stages of play.

Good news for India, though, is that the Australian batting, too, is looking a bit undercooked. Openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney, the current and former Queensland batters, don't have heaps of runs behind them while Marnus Labuschagne, another Queenslander, laboured to a half-century in Adelaide. All three will be seeking some home comfort.

Steve Smith isn't in great shape either, having managed scores of 0, 17 and 2 in this series with only Travis Head providing some solidity. Indian pacers have their task cut-out against Head, who seems to struggle against bouncers directed at his ribs.

Talking of bowling, Washington Sundar may return to the playing XI in place of R Ashwin who was India's preferred spinner in Adelaide, given his record at the venue. On the pacy, bouncy Gabba, India would be better off with Washington's superior batting skills than Ashwin's bowling.

There could be a change in pace bowling combo as well with Akash Deep coming in place of Harshit Rana who was completely out of sorts in the day/night Test. Shubman Gill, however, didn't reveal India's preference for the match.

Australia, meanwhile, have brought back a fit-again Josh Hazlewood in place of Scott Boland who did a decent job in Adelaide. 

There were calls from a few prominent former players for Rohit to open the innings after the failed "experiment" in Adelaide. It will be interesting to see if India want to give the arrangement another shot or send Rohit at the top.      

The Teams: 

AUSTRALIA XI: Pat Cummins (captain), Usman Khwaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon.

INDIA (likely XI): Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.