Even as an injury-hit Australia is staring at suffering more misery next month, opener David Warner - sidelined after taking a few body-blows in the second Test - is set to return home on Wednesday.
Warner’s hairline elbow fracture, coupled with a hit on the head, forced the Australian think-tank to opt for a concussion substitute in Matt Renshaw on the second morning at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground. Any hope of Warner battling back from the physical blows and low confidence for the remainder of the four-Test series is now dashed.
The left-hander could return for the One-day series next month but it appears, this veteran of 103 Tests has played his last Test in India.
Meanwhile, Cameron Green’s prospects of returning to the mix look bright. He was sidelined after a finger injury during the Boxing Day Test. However, question marks continue to hang over the fitness of Mitchell Starc.
While Australia’s cup of woes is overflowing, India has reasons to stay focussed on completing a 4-0 drubbing of the world’s top-ranked team.
With every loss on this tour, Australia’s chances of making the World Test Championship final appear bleak. Australia needs at least a draw or a win in the remaining two Tests to stay out of reach of Sri Lanka.
Statistically, India could be out of the WTC final if Australia triumphs at Indore and Ahmedabad with Sri Lanka winning 2-0 against New Zealand.
But an India-Australia final looks most probable. Therefore, India should go flat out to further demoralise Australia. After all, even a 3-0 loss could leave Australia severely wounded ahead of the WTC final.
At the same time, India needs to introspect and understand that there are boxes to be ticked. No doubt, the bowlers have played their roles well but the batters are yet to fire.
Except for Rohit Sharma, no top-order batter has appeared at ease in the three innings that India batted.
The team’s think-tank’s persistence with a struggling K L. Rahul in Tests is hard to justify. Since his half-century against host South Africa on January 3, 2022, Rahul’s sequence of scores reads, 8, 12, 10, 22, 23, 10, 2, 20, 17 and 1.
At the halfway stage of the series, the fact that Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin boast of better averages than Virat Kohli. Even Mohammed Shami averages more than Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahul.
Now, expect a resurgent top-order to make up for the lost opportunities in Indore. If Rohit wins the toss, the Indian batters could get to bat on a firm pitch against an unsettled Aussie attack. As the match progresses, the conditions are expected to suit the Indian bowlers.
Since Australia won the toss in the lost tests, its morale is low. Sensing this visiting team is down - but not out - India will look to flatten the opposition.
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