Ind v Aus 2020: Three India players who will be under pressure to perform
While India have a fairly balanced squad going into the series against Australia, there are some who are uncertain of their long-term place in the team.
Going up against Australia is never easy, but some India players will be under even more pressure knowing that their place in the squad could be on the line.
With Virat Kohli only playing one Test, there will also be the added pressure on the rest of the India players to step up and take responsibility in the remaining three Test matches.
India have also not played as a collective unit since March, and this too could prove to be a challenge for the team to find the winning combination and do well overseas.
Here's a list of three India players who will be aiming to perform against Australia and make a statement to the critics as well as the selectors.
KL Rahul
While KL Rahul remains an integral limited-overs player for India, his return to the Test team has sparked a lot of debate. The Kings XI Punjab captain hasn't played a Test match since 2019, and does not really have the best of records in the longest format of the game.
KL Rahul's average of 34.58 over 36 matches is simply not good enough for a player who opens the innings or plays in the top/middle order on most occasions.
And while he has been given a chance after impressing at the IPL, it could be a short-lived opportunity if he fails to get going in Australia.
KL Rahul has the skill and talent to be a star in Test cricket, but has underachieved in his career so far. Perhaps the tour to Australia will help him silence his critics.
Rishabh Pant
It has been a remarkable fall from grace for the highly rated Rishabh Pant in recent years. He has been dropped from the limited-overs set-up, and finds himself behind Wriddhiman Saha in the pecking order for Test match wicket-keepers.
Luckily for him, Saha is injured and could miss some of, or even the entire Test series in Australia as a result. That could mean another chance for Pant to improve his long-term fortunes as India's leading wicket-keeper.
Pant has a healthy average of 38.76 in Test cricket, and has scored hundreds in Australia and England. So there seems to be no doubt about his talent and ability.
All Rishabh Pant needs to do is remain consistent, which is easier said than done, as a lean series in Australia could tempt the selectors to look elsewhere.
Rohit Sharma
It may be for different reasons than the other two, but Rohit Sharma will also be under immense pressure to perform against Australia.
He was left out of India's T20I and ODI squad with those in charge citing his hamstring injury as the reason. However, his performance for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL final recently showed that he is definitely fit.
Rohit Sharma certainly won't need any added motivation ahead of the series. But the absence of Virat Kohli will also put more pressure on him.
He will now be the most experienced player in the team and possibly the captain. So, there will be expectations of him to lead the side and perform with the bat.