MELBOURNE: India ready to take on Australia in a must win game to keep the Test series alive on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day third Test.
India have suffered consecutive defeats in Adelaide and Brisbane while their track record at Melbourne is not good as well as they have lost last five matches at this ground.
The Indian side lost seven wickets just scoring 73 runs in 1st Test in Adelaide and nine for 148 to leave the Australians chasing 128 runs for a four-wicket victory in Brisbane in 2nd Test.
India’s record have not been good in last 21 test meeting away from home as the side won only one match.
Australia are likely to give batsman Joe Burns his Test debut as a replacement for Mitchell Marsh who suffered a hamstring injury, while senior paceman Ryan Harris is looking forward to return in playing eleven after missing 2nd test with a quadriceps problem.
Lehmann said he expects opener David Warner, who was struck a painful blow on his left thumb while facing Aaron in Brisbane, to play in the third Test.
In Brisbane, the Australians added 258 runs for the last four wickets in the first innings in Brisbane.
Smith will play under the threat of a one-match suspension if his team transgress again with slow over rates over the next 12 months after Australia was fined 30 percent of their match fees from the Gabba Test.
Smith, as skipper, was fined double that amount, and now must be mindful of keeping the game moving if he is to avoid a ban.
Australia Team: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith (captain), Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle.
India Team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, K.L. Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron.
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