IND vs AUS: Dont need to do housekeeping for motivation, says Rathour

With series firmly locked at 1-1, India and Australia will lock horns in the fourth and final Test of the series on January 15.

"So when India plays England in the 4-Test match series...."

Langer said that if Pucovski wasn't fit, Marcus Harris would likely step in as opener alongside David Warner, who is also not 100 percent as he continues to recover from a groin strain. India's squad has been battered, bruised and, in the third Test in Sydney, verbally abused.

"I'm sure the Indian team management has looked after Jasprit Bumrah reasonably well".

There have been talks about playing Washington Sundar.

India's pace bowling attack, even with Bumrah, is very inexperienced. Hayden probably took him on and did well, but the rest of us really couldn't find a way to get on top of him.

Australia, with their three frontline bowlers, as well as Camron Green, will feature a pace attack that has 150 Tests in all under its belt.

Meanwhile off-spinner Nathan Lyon will play his 100th Test needing just four wickets to reach a career total of 400. "If he can play, he will play, if he cannot, then he won't", Rathour said on Thursday. They all have been working hard, not just for this series but for many, many years now. "It is only in the morning that you will know which XI will take field". "We are not complaining and we are focusing on the third Test", he had said.

The Ajinkya Rahane-led India faced strict quarantine in Brisbane when they came from Sydney which had seen a cluster of COVID-19 cases earlier this month. With or without injuries, the XI that we put on the field will be the best XI. While Jadeja and Vihari are out, there are still chances that Bumrah and Ashwin may feature in the fourth and final Test in Brisbane.

"We've spoken a lot this game about controlling what we can control and focusing more inwardly on ourselves". We would like to give them as much time as possible.

"SMITH FEEDS OFF CRITICISM": Meanwhile, Australian skipper Tim Paine warned on Thursday that Steve Smith "feeds off" criticism and was sacked up for the high-stakes fourth Test against India, which Australia will start without injured opener Pucovski. Rishabh Pant showed enough signs of recovery with his second innings in Sydney.

He strongly denied it and said he was shocked by the reaction, claiming he was simply shadow batting.

"Steve is in a good frame of mind", Paine said ahead of the clash at the Gabba starting Friday, a ground where Australia are unbeaten since 1988.

"What he's gone through in the last three years. he's mentally very strong", Paine said.

Australia go into the game after stinging criticism of their desperate last-day antics in Sydney, with Paine forced to apologise for his ugly tirade at Ashwin. So I think motivation is there. "He's a no fuss, very good player".