Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney?
India's batting collapse in the second innings of the Melbourne Test has raised significant concerns, with inexplicable shot selections leading to the loss of seven wickets in just 20.4 overs.
The defeat, which could have been averted at the start of the final session on Day 5, serves as a huge wake-up call for India, who trail 1-2 in the five-match series with one match to go.
While the team was given a day off from practice on New Year's day on January 1, the coaching staff led by Head Coach Gautam Gambhir was no doubt working hard behind the scenes to work out a winning formula ahead of the fifth and final Test in Sydney, starting on Friday.
There are a lot of problem areas which need to be addressed, with some senior players struggling in both the batting and bowling departments.
But the biggest headache for the Indian team is the form of captain Rohit Sharma. With only 31 runs in five innings, Rohit's position in the playing XI for the final Test in Sydney is in jeopardy, especially with Shubman Gill waiting on the sidelines.
There are calls from every quarter that Rohit should sit out at the MCG in the best interests of the team. But will head coach Gautam Gambhir risk such a big shake-up and upset the complete dynamics of the dressing room ahead of the must-win Sydney Test.
Rohit has not only struggled in the series but he has found the going tough in Test cricket since the Bangladesh series in September, with 155 runs in his last 10 innings -- 6, 5, 23, 8, 2, 52, 0, 8, 18, 11, 3, 6, 10, 4 and 9. He had done well in the England series earlier in the year when he hit two centuries and a fifty in the last three Tests but the spark seems to have gone missing Down Under against a well-planned Australian pace attack.
If Rohit is not dropped, then India will be forced to make significant changes in their bowling line-up to bring back Gill in the playing XI.
All-rounder Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy have virtually sealed their place after their fine batting performances in Melbourne.
Sundar didn't get much bowling in the MCG Test but scored an important fifty at No 9 during 127-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Reddy, who scored a memorable century.
Ravindra Jadeja is the lead spinner in Ravichandran Ashwin's absence and it would be unwise to leave him out, especially in Sydney where traditionally the spinners come into play on the last two days.
India could opt for the most convenient option of dropping one of their pacers. While Mohammed Siraj redeemed himself with a probing spell in the second innings at MCG, Akash Deep didn't enjoy much luck to bag just two wickets in the match. However, both pacers haven't struggled for consistency and failed to provide enough support to Jasprit Bumrah.
With Reddy capable of sending down a few overs, India could look at fielding just two frontline pacers along with two specialist spinners.
The Sydney Cricket Ground traditionally has been a pitch which assists spinners on the last two days but the last three Tests at this venue have shown mixed results.
In the previous New Year Test at this venue in January last year, Australia registered a comfortable eight wicket victory over Pakistan with both teams playing one specialist spinner. For Australia, Nathan Lyon claimed four wickets in 34.2 overs across the two innings. Offie Sajid Khan, who opened the bowling for Pakistan in both innings, took three wickets in 37 overs sent down and part-time spinner Salman Agha took 2/43 in 20 overs.
In the 2023 New Year Test involving South Africa, both teams went in with two specialist spinners but the rain-hit Test finished in a draw as the visitors escaped after being asked to follow-on in the last day. In that match, Lyon bagged two wickets in 55 overs across the two innings and his spin partner Ashton Agar sent down 22 overs without taking any wicket.
For South Africa, spinners Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer toiled hard for a single wicket for a total of 56 overs sent by both in the only innings for Australia.
The 2022 New Year Test at SCG against England finished in a draw as the visitors escaped with a thrilling final-over draw with tailenders Jack Leach, Stuart Broad and James Anderson surviving a total of 64 balls.
Australia could also make one change as the struggling Mitchell Marsh has failed to make any impact with the bat or ball. He has scored just 73 runs in seven innings and has bagged just three wickets but has taken some sharp catches.
He could be replaced by seam bowling all-rounder Beau Webster, who has been the stand out performer in the Sheffield Shield over the past two years. He has collected 1,788 runs including five hundreds and nine fifties.
In the Sheffield Shield last season, he became just the second player in the competition's 132-year history to score more than 900 runs and take 30 wickets in a season. The legendary Gary Sobers was the first to achieve the feat.
Rohit's axing could mean Jasprit Bumrah could take over the captaincy again, having earned praise for his inspirational captaincy in the first Test in Perth which India won by 295 runs.
Rishabh Pant's place in the team is also under the scanner after giving his wicket away to reckless shots in both innings of the MCG Test. The wicketkeeper-batter has failed to convert promising starts into big scores, often falling to reckless shots. In four Tests, he has scored 154 runs at an average of 22, without a single half-century. In his seven innings in the series, he has dismissed twice in the 30s and three times in the 20s.
Dhruv Jurel played two good knocks of 80 and 68 for India A in the practice mach against Australia A in Melbourne ahead of the Test series. However, playing as a specialist batter he failed twice in the Perth and has since not been considered.
But Jurel, 23, is a capable batter and played some vital knocks lower down the order in the Test series against England last year when he took over the gloves in Pant's absencce.
Bumrah, who looked like the only Indian bowler capable of taking wickets, bowled his heart out in more than 50 overs in the MCG Test. He has shouldered a heavy workload, bowling 141.2 overs in the four Tests, more than any bowler in the series and clearly he will be feeling the fatigue ahead of Sydney.
With a short turnaround time between the last two Tests, giving Bumrah the captaincy could increase his burden. Also, it will be important to consider that playing just two pacers could increase his workload significantly.
India's lone victory at Sydney came way back in 1978 when the Bishan Bedi-led visitors trounced Australia by an innings and two runs. The spin trio of Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Erapalli Prasanna shared 16 wickets between them to rout the hosts in both innings.
India, who have drawn their last three matches at this venue in 2015, 2019 and 2021, have just one victory in 13 Tests, with five losses and seven draws.
It is high time coach Gautam Gambhir lays down the law and axes some of the non-performing established stars which could also send a strong message to the entire squad that no player can take his place for granted.
Unless they come up with an improved performance at the SCG, India are on the verge of their second successive Test series defeat following the 0-3 series whitewash at the hands of New Zealand at home a couple of months ago.
With rain forecast to disrupt proceedings during the Sydney Test, the team selection has become more complicated for the struggling Indians.
There are reports that Akash Deep is struggling with a back injury which could see him make way for Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana.
Will Rohit get one final opportunity to salvage his Test career? Will Dhruv Jurel replace Rishabh Pant?
Will India bring back Shubman Gill to bolster their batting line-up?
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, K L Rahul, Rishabh Pant/Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar/Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney?
Please select your team from the list below and do post your playing XI in the message board below:
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