Injury and illness have laid siege to Australia's plans for the fourth Test against India, with Mitchell Johnson ruled out due to a hamstring injury and Shane Watson hit by a stomach virus.
Johnson missed training on Saturday after complaining of hamstring soreness and was ruled out early on Sunday morning, as Australia seek to ensure the fitness of their strike bowler ahead of the World Cup and the Ashes.
Just hours after the 33-year-old's withdrawal, Watson was forced to leave training mid-session.
Watson completed fielding drills on the SCG outfield before padding up and heading to the nets but was unable to bat, leaving shortly after with team doctor Peter Brukner.
Johnson's fellow left-arm quick Mitchell Starc is set to take his place in the Australian bowling line-up for the last Test of the summer, starting at the SCG on Tuesday.
Starc was disappointing in the second Test in Brisbane and was dropped for the third Test in Melbourne, with Ryan Harris returning.
But Australian opener Chris Rogers believes Starc can lead Australia's attack after hitting back with some eye-catching efforts in the Big Bash League.
"It's interesting, he is a strike bowler so hopefully he could take up that mantle that Johno has," Rogers said.
"Maybe in previous games when they've played together it's been a bit of a difficult thing for Starcy because he hasn't quite known what his role has been.
"So if he does get that opportunity he will know exactly what he needs to do."
Rogers's opening partner David Warner says Starc is primed to make an impact at the SCG.
"Mitchell knows what he has to do," Warner said.
"He has to get the ball in the right areas, get the ball swinging, that is his job, he swings the ball a lot and we have seen most of his dismissals are LBW or bowled.
"So I am really looking forward to it if he gets the opportunity, for him to get out there and bowl."
If Watson is ruled out, the most likely scenario would be for coach Darren Lehmann to bring finger-spinning allrounder Ashton Agar into the side to bat at No.7, with Brad Haddin moving to No.6 and Joe Burns slotting into Watson's spot at No.3.
After back-to-back Tests and a heavy workload on flatter pitches so far this summer, Lehmann said Johnson wasn't right for Sydney.
"Mitchell is an important part of our plans for the remainder of our summer and we want him 100 per cent right so won't be taking any risks with him," Lehmann said.
"We believe it is best for Mitchell to take this opportunity to freshen up and get his body fully fit ahead of the tri-series."
Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris added: "Mitchell had some right hamstring soreness during the Boxing Day Test and we have been closely monitoring his recovery since that match but feel he has not fully recovered."
Australia take an unassailable 2-0 lead into the fourth and final Test of the series.
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