TASK CUT OUT
Five things Virat Kohli needs to do to win the series versus Australia
BIG CONTRIBUTION
Provided he is fit, India will be hoping Virat Kohli breaks his run . In this series, he has managed 0,13,12,15 and 6. The poor form 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 winning the Test and series.
KEY MAN
Although he smashed 52 and shared a match-winning stand of 118 with Cheteshwar Pujara in Bangalore, Ajinkya Rahane is 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. His consistency at No 5 will aid the team immensely.
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 consistently and has lacked penetration.
GETTING SMITH EARLY
The Australia skipper has made the difference in this series. His 109 helped Australia win in Pune while the 178 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 out cheaply.