TASK CUT OUT

Five things India need to do to win the series against Australia

BIG CONTRIBUTION

Provided he is fit, India will be hoping Virat Kohli breaks his lean run. In this series, he has made only 0,13,12,15 and 6. The poor run will hurt Kohli, considering that before the series, he hit double centuries in four consecutive Test series. A big score will boost India’s chances of finishing their long home run on a high.

KEY MAN

Although he smashed 52 and shared a match-winning stand of 118 with Cheteshwar Pujara in Bangalore, Ajinkya Rahane is yet to show the consistency he achieved in 2014 and 2015. In his last six Tests, he has scored just two fifties. In Ranchi, he played a poor shot and fell for 18. If Kohli misses out, Rahane will need to be in top form.

FIRING IN TANDEM

In the current series, the highest opening stand for India was 91 in Ranchi between KL Rahul and Murali Vijay. This has been their only fifty-plus opening stand while Australia stitched three fifty-plus opening stands. Rahul and Vijay have to give India a good start if they are to put Australia on the back-foot.

BEING INCISIVE

Among the India pacers, Umesh Yadav has troubled the Australians with pace, conventional swing and reverse swing. However, he has struggled for support from Ishant Sharma. In three Tests, Ishant has taken three wickets at 69.66. He has not provided breakthroughs despite bowlingn his heart out.

GETTING SMITH EARLY

The Australia skipper has made the difference in this series. His 109 helped Australia win in Pune while the 178 not out in Ranchi helped Australia force a draw. In the Bangalore Test, which India won, one of the factors was Smith’s early dismissals in both innings on 8 and 28. For India, their chances rest on getting Smith early.