As Australia go into the final day's play with a 348-run lead and four wickets in hand, the least India's batsmen can now do is draw the Sydney Test. Here's a list of the five men on whose shoulders rest a billion hopes...
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli
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646 in seven innings (115, 141, 19, 1, 169, 54, 147)
Averaging over 92 in the series so far, Team India will again look up to their new Test skipper to lead from the front today.
Murali Vijay
402 in seven innings (53, 99, 144, 27, 68, 11, 0)
The opener has been in fine form with three 50-plus scores in the series so far. He is the most experienced top-order batsman (30 Tests), besides captain Kohli, in this Indian XI. So a big hundred from him will not be too much to ask for.
Ajinkya Rahane
361 in seven innings (62, 0, 81, 10, 147, 48, 13)
The Mumbai batsman is a vital cog in India’s middle-order. One expects the 26-year-old to put the disappointment of first innings at the SCG behind and live up to his high potential. He has a big hundred in the series to back himself too.
Rohit Sharma
134 in five innings (43, 6, 32, 0, 53)
He showed glimpses of returning to form after a good 53 in the first innings here. However, he would be better off curbing his flamboyant strokes and batting with patience, thereby making full use of the opportunity to cement his place in the XI.
KL Rahul
114 in three innings (3,1, 110)
The Karnataka opener scored a workmanlike century in the first innings here and an encore will silence the critics who still recall his disappointing Test debut at Melbourne. Skipper Kohli too will expect Rahul to draw from opening partner Vijay’s experience and provide a steady start.
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