India vs. Australia: Third Test Preview
The Border Gavaskar series venue shifts to Holkar Stadium in Indore for the third Test Wednesday afternoon, where hosts India lead to a 3-0 lead for the series less than two weeks after receiving the Border Gavaskar trophy in Delhi wants to achieve.
The Australians were dealt a few blows, with veteran opener David Warner missing for the remainder of the series after sustaining a hairline tear in his right elbow in Delhi while skipper Pat Cummins was flown home to be with his ailing mother.
Spin option Ashton Agar has also returned to Australia to play domestic cricket after being overlooked in the first two Test matches alongside speedy veteran Josh Hazlewood, who is struggling with an Achilles problem.
On a more positive note, injured stars Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green have both stated their intention to return to the side at Indore in what form as a much-needed boost for the ailing Australians.
With Warner injured, Travis Head is expected to open batting alongside Usman Khawaja like he did in the second innings in Delhi.
Head top-scored for Australia in his first innings as a Test opener, hitting 43 from 46 before falling to Ravichandran Ashwin.
The 29-year-old found success as an opener in one-day cricket after averaging 51.28 in 18 innings of six fifties and three hundreds.
Marnus Labuschagne – the only other Australian to hit double figures in his second innings in Delhi – will bat by three again, while substitute captain Steve Smith bats by four.
Peter Handscomb is expected to retain his fifth spot after going unbeaten in the first innings in Delhi for 72 balls from 196 balls.
Green will be stuck at six with wicketkeeper Alex Carey at seven.
Australia opted for a trio of spinners – Nathan Lyon, Toddy Murphy and debutant Matthew Kuhnemann – in Delhi and are expected to use the same combination in Indore.
Starc will replace Cummins as the lone quick, with Green offering a second pace option that wasn’t available on their last outing.
For India, vice-captain KL Rahul is under pressure to retain his place at the top of the rankings as he struggles through a prolonged slump.
He’s made more than 25 in just one of his last 12 innings.
There have been calls for 23-year-old ace Shubman Gill – who has hit four centuries in his last seven ODI innings, including a crucial 208 against New Zealand in Hyderabad – to replace the veteran opener.
He has 736 runs in 13 Test games at 32.00 with a century and four fifties.
Aside from the Rahul-Gill issue, India’s side is understandably much quieter.
India is once again a short-priced favorite among bookmakers as visitors could not find opportunities to take on the likes of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, whose rotation has repeatedly ripped through Australia’s batsmen.