Australia missing its stars

SYDNEY: A troubled Australia side heads to the Sydney

Cricket Ground for the fourth test against India, starting tomorrow, hoping to turn over a new leaf in 2019. But it is still plagued by the fallout of its annus horribilis.

Their 137run defeat in the third test at Melbourne on Sunday not only left it trailing 21 in the series, but also made its defiant win in Perth’s second test look like a false dawn.

Since the balltampering scandal exploded in Cape Town last March, leading to long suspensions for former captain Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, Australia has laboured to five defeats and a draw in seven tests.

While Bancroft’s ninemonth ban expired on Saturday, Smith and Warner still have three months to serve.

Their replacements have failed to cement themselves and Australia has been unable to move on, Paine admitted after defeat at the MCG.

‘‘The guys have nearly finished their bans and nearly done their time, so I think it’s time we started focusing on the fact that they’re coming back and from that there are some real positives,’’ he said.

In the shortterm, Paine’s team is in danger of becoming the first Australian side to lose a test series to India on home soil, having already conceded the BorderGavaskar Trophy.

With the Sydney Cricket Ground reliably Australia’s most spinfriendly wicket, the hosts may find it tough going.

Ravindra Jadeja captured five wickets on the MCG’s drop in pitch, comprehensively winning his duel of spinners with Nathan Lyon, who took just one.

No Australian batsman has scored a century in the series, and Travis Head is alone in the top six with an average of above 30.

Australia coach Justin Langer, however, said that noone was putting their hand up for higher honours in domestic cricket.

‘‘Try being a selector at the moment,’’ Langer said.

‘‘We’ve got to be careful not to reward poor performances but

. . . it’s not as if the guys are absolutely banging the door down.

‘‘Most of our batters knocking on the door are averaging in the 30s . . . we’ve got some work to do.

‘‘Whether it’s the system . . . whether it’s something we’ve got to change in our psyche, I’m not sure. It’s something everyone is looking at.’’

Seambowling allrounder Mitchell Marsh may lose his spot to parttime legspinner Marnus Labuschagne, who has joined the squad for Sydney.