KEY QUESTIONS THAT WILL DECIDE WHETHER INDIA RECORD THEIR FIRST TEST SERIES WIN IN AUSTRALIA
1) Can Australia stop Virat Kohli? So much has been written and said about the superstar's batting, records, aggression, captaincy, profile and income in recent weeks. If the home side's bowling attack can limit his influence, as was the case in last year's Test series in India, it will go a long way to recording a series victory. Especially if Kohli's teammates struggle with the bat, as was often the case on their two previous Test tours. It is of course a big if.
2) Who will score runs for Australia in the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner? Australia's batting order is in a predictable sense of disorder, in terms of personnel and positions. Smith and Warner saved their side's blushes on so many occasions, having scored a combined 12,562 Test runs (including 44 centuries). Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh, the most experienced members of the new-look XI, will shoulder a lot of the burden. A couple of big partnerships could be enough to get Australia over the line.
3) Which offspinner will reign supreme? There is no shortage of mutual respect between Nathan Lyon and Ravichandran Ashwin. Lyon watched footage of Ashwin prior to Australia's tour of India last year, desperate to improve his form on the subcontinent. Ashwin has recently done the same. Ashwin's Test bowling average in Australia is an unflattering 54.71, having previously struggled like so many spinners who have arrived on these shores with big expectations. If Ashwin can adjust to these conditions it could be a game-changer, especially with so many left-handers in Australia's XI.
4)Will Australia's frontline quicks play all four Tests? Debate over workload management is likely to pop up at some point this series, especially with a three-day turnaround between the first and second Tests. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are all confident they won't require a rest but that decision will be shaped by how many overs they are forced to bowl. Resting any one of the match-winners would hurt Australia immensely. However, the same can be said of overcooking them and creating a fresh setback that could ruin Australia's plans for next year's World Cup and Ashes.
5)Will the absence of a pink ball at Adelaide Oval help Australia or India? Lyon is the only member of Australia's attack to have played a Test in Adelaide with a red ball. The day-night Test in Adelaide had seemingly become a fixture on the annual calendar but India refused to adopt the innovation. The pitch is expected to retain some grass and be reasonably similar to what was produced for last year's Ashes Test. India were concerned about their lack of pink-ball experience but it's likely their pacemen would have been more potent under lights.
6) How will Perth's new pitch play? Optus Stadium will soon host its maiden Test, with the series heading west after the Adelaide Oval opener. Former curator Lyon, having claimed 3-34 and 4-86 during last week's Sheffield Shield match at the new venue, was very impressed with the pitch. Decks in Melbourne and Sydney are expected to be far flatter, meaning both sides will be desperate to gain the early advantage in the series. That was how India's previous Test tour of Australia played out, when the hosts gained a 2-0 advantage then drew the MCG and SCG clashes.
