India vs Australia, 4th Test: India likely to drop Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara for Sydney Test

Pujara cast a forlorn figure during the practice session on the eve of the Test. He spent most of his time standing at the back of the nets spinning a ball in his hands. Towards the end of the session, Virat Kohli walked across and had a word with him. Not long after, Pujara collected his gear, packed his bags and exited the scene.

If Pujara and Dhawan do get benched, it will open the doors for Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, who hasn’t represented the country in whites for over two years. The only certain change as of now is Wriddhiman Saha taking over the wicket-keeping gloves from the now-retired MS Dhoni in Virat Kohli’s first Test as official captain.

With Dhawan gone, India will also have a new opening partnership at the SCG with KL Rahul partnering the in-form Murali Vijay at the top. This should give Rahul, an opener by trade, a chance to make up for the horrific Test debut at the MCG, where he fell in both innings to audacious swipes at the ball.

In case the team management does decide to give Pujara a break, the real talking point though going into the Sydney Test will be who will walk in at No.3. The Saurashtra right-hander took over the crucial one-drop spot from Rahul Dravid in August 2012 and has since batted there in 38 out of 43 Test innings, averaging 48.38. He was pushed up to open in four of the other five innings while he batted at No.6 in the second innings at MCG.

Pujara started the Test series Down Under in positive fashion with 73 in the first innings at Adelaide. But from then on he’s looked out of sorts, and despite making 43 on that disastrous morning for India at the Gabba, he’s averaged 33.50 in the series so far.

Ironically, Rohit was similarly seen dawdling away on Sunday during the practice session without getting a bat in the nets. The entire top-brass of the team management from Kohli, Ravi Shastri and Duncan Fletcher to Dhoni had spent at least five minutes each in one-on-one sessions with the Mumbai batsman. But he was the first one into the nets on Monday, and he was in there for close to 45 minutes. Raina didn’t bat much either, except facing a few throw-downs from Sanjay Bangar and two dozen deliveries from the spinners. His role will be crucial if he’s indeed picked, as he is likely to then double-up as the second spinner on a SCG wicket that carries a dry look to it.

Like Pujara, Dhawan too has one half-century to his name in the series. That was the 81 he scored in the second dig at the Gabba after being controversially struck on the forearm in the nets prior to the day’s play. Apart from that, he’s looked all at sea against Ryan Harris or thrown away the advantage of having seen off the new-ball. Twice he and Vijay have put up 50+ opening stands, but in five out of six occasions he has been dismissed first. Dhawan, who’s averaging 27.83 at this point in the series, had lost his place in England as well after the first three Tests. But this one could be a lengthier sabbatical if Rahul does manage to overcome the demons of MCG and makes an impression against an Australian attack sans Mitchell Johnson.