India vs Australia, 2018-19: The mental disintegration shoe is now on the other foot

It is payback time in the current series

The Indian batsmen, led by Pujara, gave it back to the Aussies this time around

Coming back to the current series, India are comfortably placed to win their first series in Australia. At Melbourne, in a must-win game, Kohli refused to enforce the follow-on even after a first innings lead of 292 runs and despite the dodgy weather forecast. In all probability, Kohli might not enforce the follow-on here at Sydney irrespective of the quantum of the first-innings lead.

The Australian legend Shane Warne suggests that Australia should declare their first innings the moment they cross the follow-on target to bring life back into this game. That would give Australia an outside chance to win the Test and level the series. But for that to happen, Australia should score 423 in the first innings. Australia’s previous best score in the series was 326 in the first innings of the second Test at Perth.

Ishant Sharma and R Ashwin, who were part of the 2011-2012 series and were at the receiving end, are also part of the current squad. They must be delighted with the turn of events in the current series where, for a change, the Indian batsmen led by Pujara made the Aussie bowlers toil, first at Melbourne and now at Sydney.

During this payback time, both Ishant and Ashwin might be suggesting to their captain not to enforce the follow-on and keep on batting until the cows come home.