India challenge only going to get harder for Australia as old and improved tourists await in Adelaide

Australia faces a confronting reality in the lead-up to the second Test in Adelaide as it forensically picks the smouldering carcass from its slaughter in Perth off the Optus Stadium pitch. Australia’s top-order problems are weighty, headlined by No. 3 Marnus Labuchagne’s struggles, compounded by an underwhelming Test debut from opener Nathan McSweeney in Perth, and with Steve Smith yet to “find” his hands and eyes with the bat. Now there is another grim prospect looming - India is only going to get better. India has now won three of its past four Tests in Australia and drawn the other, and is set to welcome back captain Rohit Sharma at the top of the order after he missed the opener to be with his wife for the birth of their second child. No. 3 Shubman Gill was unavailable in Perth and is also considered a chance for Adelaide , albeit a rough one, to recover in time from a fractured thumb, with the first ball to be bowled in the day-night Test on Friday week. But experienced spinners Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who both missed out on a start in Perth as India selectors preferred the taller Washington Sundar, are expected to be given a chance to state their case in this weekend’s pink-ball Prime Minister’s XI match in Canberra. Even coach Gautam Gambhir, forced home for personal reasons after the first Test win, is expected to return in time for the Adelaide Test. Ashwin has 536 Test wickets in the bank and has a record at the Adelaide Oval that will force selectors to take notice: 16 wickets at 30.44 from three matches. Another veteran, paceman Mohammed Shami, made a successful return from injury in India in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this week, taking 3-21, and could also soon be on a plane heading for Australian shores. The recent record between the two teams makes for sobering reading: In their past nine Tests in Australia, India has won five and drawn two. In that time, their batters have scored nine centuries to Australia’s two – from Steve Smith and Labuchagne. On the bowling front, Jasprit Bumrah captained the team in Perth in Sharma’s absence with aggression and verve and took eight wickets. He has claimed the most victims from those nine Tests across both teams – 40 at an alarming average of 18.80. Australian captain Pat Cummins is the next highest wicket-taker with 38, at an average of 25.34. But among the bowlers who have taken more than 10 wickets in India’s recent winning run, Jadeja has the next best average – 21.78. And he didn’t play in Perth. India debuted two players in the first Test, pacemen Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who formed a four-pronged seam attack with Bumrah and the impressive Mohammed Siraj. If Shami returns, expect either Rana or Reddy to go – or even both if India opts for two spinners. Indian journalist Harsha Bhogle said India’s main goal in the pink-ball lead-in game in Canberra would be playing Sharma into form after the birth of his second child back home in India. “Primarily, India will look to see if Sharma can get in the runs, if he can bat 100-120 balls - that would be objective number one,” Bhogle told Fox Sport. “Objective number two will be to get the back-up selectors to tell the selectors: ‘I should be playing’ - and maybe a long bowl for Ashwin.” Gill made his Test debut on India’s tour of Australia tour nearly four years ago when he opened the batting in India’s win at the Gabba. Since replacing Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3, he has scored 924 runs in 25 innings with three centuries at an average of 42.07. KL Rahul was pushed back up the order to open with Yahsasvi Jaiswal in Sharma’s absence. The pair responded with a record double-century opening stand in the second innings. Sharma will rejoin Jaiswal as an opener, with Rahul tipped to slide to No.3 if Gill fails to play. Left-hander Devudutt Padikkal batted at three in Perth. He made a duck and a scratchy 25 in the second innings and is the likely casualty. Meanwhile, Australian coach Andrew McDonald’s demeanour and response to the first Test suggested there won’t be a change to the XI. Labuchagne has kept his spot in an unchanged 13-man squad although allrounder Mitch Marsh is under injury watch with Beau Webster and Aaron Hardie the candidates to replace him. Labuchagne has averaged just 13.66 across his past five Tests – the only outlier a gutsy 90 in Christchurch in March – and made two and three in his two innings in Australia’s 295-run loss to India in Perth. He also burnt two reviews. But the Australian selectors will also be aware that Labuchagne likes the Adelaide Oval where he has plundered three Test tons. McDonald left the door slightly ajar for West Australian keeper-batter Josh Inglis to replace one of the top six. “We look at the way he plays, and when he’s at his best,” McDonald said of Labuchagne. “And when we’ve seen him at his best he’s shown great intent at the crease. “That’s an ongoing discussion and that ebbs and flows in players’ careers, so at the moment he’s in one of those patches and no doubt he’ll be getting critiqued externally. “But internally we’re really confident that, at his best, he’s the player that we need.”