India vs Australia 2018-19: 4 Indian batsmen pivotal to India's chances of Test success in Australia

The Test series between India and Australia will commence from the 6th of December. The tour would further perpetuate the long-standing rivalry between the two teams, and promises to be a cracker of a series.

This is a very good chance for the Indian batsmen to score heavily and help Team India record their first series win Down Under, as the Australian team is in rebuilding mode. The hosts have lost two of their best players in Steve Smith and David Warner to ball-tampering bans, creating a very big talent gap that India would definitely look to exploit.

The Indian batsmen need to take the responsibility on their shoulders and build solid totals which their bowlers can defend. There is no dearth of batting talent in the Indian team, but the execution of their batting plans needs to work as per the planning.

Let's look at four Indian batsmen who would play a pivotal role in India's chances during the Test series in Australia:

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#4 Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw - a future batting mainstay

Prithvi Shaw is an immensely talented young cricketer from Mumbai who hit a century on his Test debut against the West Indies.

He has a good batting technique and looks to play his shots. His attacking game will allow the batsmen at the other end to settle in easily while beginning their innings.

Shaw has a good first-class record with an average of 60.93, and is definitely someone who can solve the Indian team's opening wicket miseries. He has been praised by several former batting legends in the Indian cricket fraternity for his batting performances, and has been recognized as a future test star.

Shaw has the mental and physical ability to do well against the Australians and help India compete well in the series Down Under.

#3 Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara - The backbone

Cheteshwar Pujara is a skillful batsman and has the technique to perform well in the Test series against Australia. He has a magnificent Test record with an average nearing 50, and has scored 15 centuries.

Pujara has been criticized many a time for scoring heavily in only the Indian subcontinent conditions. But he recently responded to the criticism by scoring a masterful 132 against England, demonstrating that he definitely has the talent to become the backbone of the Indian batting.

If he can keep up that level of performance against the Australian bowlers, India would definitely put up a strong showing in the Test series.

#2 Ajinkya Rahane

Ajinkya Rahane - The jinx

Ajinkya Rahane is India's most dependable middle-order batsman when playing outside India after Virat Kohli. He has scored 6 out of his 10 Test centuries playing outside India.

Rahane possesses an excellent average of 46.32 when playing in foreign conditions, which is considerably higher than his overall career average of 40.91. He will play an important if early wickets fall for the team or a solid middle order partnership is required.

Rahane needs to bat solidly and spend as much as the time he can on the batting crease to help India compete well in Australia.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli - The King

Virat Kohli is a modern cricketing great who possesses a knack of producing daddy hundreds, and has become the mainstay of the Indian batting unit. He has delivered outstanding batting performances even when others have failed to provide adequate support to him.

Kohli's aggressive intent helps build a combative mindset among other players too, and makes the matches more competitive.

He has a marvelous batting record in Australia with five centuries and 992 runs in just 8 Test matches. Kohli just needs to do perform in his usual way if India has to win the series against the Aussies for the very first time Down Under.