India vs Australia: Australia call-up reinforcement for Sydney Test after MCG drubbing
Australia captain Tim Paine said he expected the Sydney pitch to take turn, as the home side added Queensland leg-spinner Marnus Labuschagne to partner off-spinner Nathan Lyon for the last Test, starting from January 3.
The South Africa-born player, who made his Test debut for Australia against Pakistan in Dubai in October, has played two Test matches. Labuschagne has taken seven wickets at 22.42.
The hosts' move comes after they lost the third Test in Melbourne by 137 runs to go 1-2 down in the four-match series.
Following the win at the iconic MCG, world No.1-ranked India have now retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
"It's probably going to be pretty dry and will spin quite a bit I'd imagine," Paine said.
Cricket Australia's decision to ban Steve Smith and David Warner for a year over their roles in the ball-tampering affair in Cape Town in March has left the team's batting ranks severely weakened.
It's the first time since 1991-92 that an Australian player has not scored a test century during the home summer before the January test in Sydney.
"We were just outplayed and India deserved to win this test," Paine said.
Paine said Australia's inexperienced batting lineup was "learning on the job".
The only Australia player to score a half-century in the Melbourne test was No. 8 Cummins.
"At the moment it's challenging and everyone's frustrated," Paine said.
Opener Aaron Finch (eight and three) and No.6 Mitch Marsh (nine and 10) were particularly poor in the Melbourne test and could face the axe.
Top-ranked India set up their victory with an imposing first-innings tally of 443/7, which was scored in almost two days of batting on a slow-paced pitch. Cheteshwar Pujara's patient 106 included a 170-run stand with Kohli (82) for the third wicket.
In reply, Australia crumbled for 151 as Bumrah claimed 6-33. India's second innings of 106/8 declared gave the touring team a 398-run advantage. The hosts could only manage 261 in reply.
(With AP Inputs)
