3 reasons why Australia can still level the Test series against India
India retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy for the fourth time in a row, becoming the first team to do so, after their emphatic six-wicket win in the second Test at Delhi.
The hosts are 2-0 up in the four-match series and look set to win the series and perhaps even whitewash the visitors in the remaining two Tests at Indore and Ahmedabad.
Australia have had their moments in the series and will no doubt head into the third Test with some regrets and a sense of optimism after winning plenty of sessions in the second Test.
Here are three reasons why Australia can level the series.
#3 The Australian spinners are slowly getting into a rhythm
While they couldn't match the output of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, the form Nathan Lyon and Co. showed in the 2nd Test bodes well for the away side ahead of the final two tests.
The Indian batters were just as uncomfortable facing Lyon as the Australian batters were facing Jadeja and Ashwin. You would expect the Aussie spinners to only get better in these last two games.
Barring, Rohit Sharma, none of the Indian top order looked remotely comfortable at the crease. If that trend continues, their spinners will give Australia a chance at leveling this series.
#2 Indian top order isn't in good form, overreliance on lower order to bail them out
Barring Rohit Sharma, the rest of the Indian batters are not in good touch, although Kohli was looking good before his controversial first innings dismissal. Overall, the batters haven't looked comfortable facing the Australian spinners. They seem to be caught in two minds on whether to play attacking cricket or go into a shell.
While their opening pair ahead of the third Test is now anyone's guess, Australia will back themselves to rout the Indian batters and focus their attention on dismissing their prolific all-round trio.
Axar Patel has more runs than any other Australian batter despite batting only twice in this series. This state highlights India's dependence on him and how Australia have struggled against them.
If they can figure out how to solve the Jadeja-Axar-Ashwin puzzle, the Aussies have got a real shot at making a comeback in this series.
#1 They were in a good position to take the 2nd Test away from India
Before their inexplicable collapse on the third day of the second Test, Australia was able to control the game against India on more than one occasion. After putting up a solid first innings total of 263 on the board, the Aussies bowled well to reduce India to 139/7 at one point in their innings.
However, Ashwin and Axar's 114-run partnership proved to be a huge pain for the Australian bowlers and reduced a lead of potentially more than 75 to just one. Nevertheless, Australia started their second innings in terrific style, with stand-in opener Travis Head taking the attack to Ashwin.
With the scoreboard reading 63/1 at stumps on Day 2, the visitors were in an excellent position to take the game away from India. Chasing in the fourth innings in the subcontinent is tough, especially if the total is any more than 175 or 200 runs.
While the Aussies got their strategy horribly wrong to collapse to 113 all out on Day 3, the way opened their second innings could be slightly effective in dealing with the Indian bowlers.
The point is in another world, we could be heading to Indore with the series level at 1-1 and Australia does have it in them to make it 2-2.