AUS vs IND, Brisbane Test Preview: All eyes on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli as mouth-watering Gabba clash awaits

Rohit Sharma's elegance and Virat Kohli's class will be put to the ultimate test when India faces an Australian team eager to make a statement on the challenging Gabba pitch in the third match of the Border-Gavaskar series, starting Saturday in Brisbane.

With the series tied at 1-1, Brisbane could prove decisive in shaping the outcome of the series and determining whether Rohit's team remains in control of their destiny in the ongoing World Test Championship.

For India, the key hope lies in Australia's batting fragility, which could collapse if Travis Head fails to play a dominant role. Steve Smith, much like Kohli, has struggled with inconsistent batting form this series.

In terms of bowling, India boasts Jasprit Bumrah, who has outshone every other bowler in the series, making them appear ordinary in comparison.

While Bumrah needs more support at the other end, what he truly requires is runs from the likes of Rohit and Kohli, offering a psychological cushion as he charges in to unleash his thunderbolts.

The growing "outside noise" regarding Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s declining form has been hard to ignore, but the two modern-day megastars will be determined to lead from the front on a ground where the Indian team showed unprecedented resilience back in 2021.

The numbers haven't been kind to them, and both are the first to admit that stats don't lie.

However, Rohit and Kohli remain formidable when asked to face challenges like bounce or seam movement. The Australian conditions have offered them a double challenge – bounce combined with grass that provides extra seam movement.

Both have the skills, but unfortunately, the form has deserted them for now.

India’s biggest concern over the past year has been poor first-innings batting, both at home and abroad, with six totals under 150 in that period.

In the 2024-25 season, Rohit and Kohli’s first-innings averages are a dismal 6.88 and 10, respectively.

Kohli managed to ease some pressure with a hundred on the flatter Perth pitch, but Rohit now needs a captain's knock to not only boost his confidence but also establish himself as a leader who leads by example.

Rohit is experienced enough to understand that he can't always play his way out of trouble against world-class bowlers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and a fully-fit Josh Hazlewood, who replaces Scott Boland in the lineup.

While Rohit has been a giant in white-ball cricket, a strong performance at the Gabba could elevate him to cricketing royalty. However, for that, he first needs to figure out his batting position.

He hasn't fully trusted his defense and looks vulnerable when the ball moves around, as it is likely to at the Gabba.

Should he open the batting, or is No. 6 a better option, where he can attack the older Kookaburra if the top order lays a solid foundation?

Only the captain can answer that question.

Senior off-spinner R. Ashwin and Washington Sundar were steady but not extraordinary in the first two Tests. However, Ravindra Jadeja remains a safer choice if India is looking to bolster their batting depth, given his strong record in overseas conditions.

When it comes to pace bowling, Akash Deep has more skills, but captain Rohit Sharma has a special fondness for rookie Harshit Rana’s big heart.

Australia's batting is just as fragile as India's.

Travis Head has had a Rishabh Pant-like impact on his days, especially when facing India.

However, Steve Smith's form remains a concern, as the Indian bowlers have been targeting him with consistent straight lines. Marnus Labuschagne managed a hard-earned half-century in Adelaide, but he still doesn’t look like his usual prolific self.

Nathan McSweeney displayed resilience in the first innings in Adelaide, though it will take more time before he becomes a guaranteed fixture in the side.

One area where Australia has done well is understanding India’s dependence on Jasprit Bumrah's first spell with the new Kookaburra ball. The Australian team knows that if they can survive that period with minimal damage, they can apply pressure on the other bowlers, who aren't quite as effective as the Gujarat pacer.

Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar. Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal.

Match starts at 5:50 am IST.