Ranking the current Indian batsmen by their Test average in Australia
After overseas series Test series defeat against South Africa and England in 2018, India are set to face yet another tough overseas assignment against Australia.
Australia are probably playing their weakest batting line-up for a long time in the absence of their star opener David Warner and their ex-skipper Steve Smith due to the ball-tampering saga. However, Australia still have one of the best bowling line-ups in Test cricket with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in the squad.
It would be up to the Indian batsmen to negotiate the pace trio (and Nathan Lyon!) and put runs on board for the Indian pacers to exert pressure on the inexperienced Australian batting.
India have gone in with 8 specialist batsmen and 2 wicket-keepers in the 18-man Test squad. While three players, teenage sensation Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari, would be playing a Test match on Australian soil for the very first time, other 7 batsmen have the experience of playing on the bouncy surfaces of Australia. 3 of them average 50+ down-under.
Here is ranking the Indian batsmen by their Test average in Australia.
#7 Rohit Sharma
Average 28.83, Runs 173, Matches 3, Innings 6, 100s 0, 50s 1, HS 53
Rohit Sharma, who has been in and out of the Test squad and who was dropped from the South Africa series earlier this year after failing in 2 Tests, ranks at the bottom of this list.
He has been picked in the Indian squad because it is believed his backfoot play is suited for Australia. But ironically, he averages a lowly 28 in 6 innings in Australia scoring a solitary 50.
Although Hitman's place in the playing XI is not certain, when he gets an opportunity it would be interesting to see if he scores big.