Steve Smith and David Warner must shine in Sydney

Australia have started 2021 in a cold sweat. It’s one-all, India dominated a Boxing Day match again, and runs have been a struggle to come by for the home side over the first two Tests. All eyes now move to the wet and COVID-hit Sydney ahead of the third.

While there was a sense of inevitability about the series result last time India toured, this time Australia were the heavy favourites.

It’s all gone just a little bit pear-shaped though.

Last time, the team was run down from the events of Cape Town earlier in the year. This year there are no such excuses. Sure, David Warner missed the first two Tests, but the rest of the batting order haven’t been up to scratch, and come Sydney, it’s time for the two home-town stars to shine.

Melbourne provided the Australian team the wake-up call they so desperately needed, but didn’t receive in Adelaide after rolling India for 36 in the second innings.

(Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

That nine-wicket victory at the Adelaide Oval led to no changes for Melbourne where, even without Virat Kohli, India proved what a strong team they can be and ran over the top of Australia.

While this Test is unlikely to be anything like the last time India played at the SCG when they batted for almost two days after winning the toss – the lack of recent cricket at Sydney’s premier venue, as well as the wet weather in the lead-up, is likely to lead to a somewhat spicey pitch – there are similarities in the build-up.

Australia’s bowling attack is no different, and the side’s key struggle is runs with the bat. They have a lot of work to do right up the XI if they want to be competitive in what is likely to be a very tactical battle over the five days due to the changing weather and likelihood of lost time.

One element the Aussies have been lacking in the batting is intent: the ability to push singles, put pressure on fielders and not let a bowler get on top of a single batsman.

Nowhere was that more evident than in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test, when they trundled along at 1.94 runs per over for just over 100 of them. Bump that up a little bit and suddenly it would have been a very different game.

This is one of the talents David Warner brings to the team, and you could as far as to say he is one of, if not the best in the world at it.

While there is some talk he won’t be at full fitness for the Sydney Test, there is almost no doubt he is going to play. If he does line up, he will be able to put that pressure which overwhelmed the Australian batting order in Melbourne back on the Indian bowlers.

Not only that, but Warner will be able to get the Aussies off to a good start. Whether he goes big or not, it’s rare Warner has an abject failure in Australian conditions.

(Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

In the three innings which have actually counted for anything in this series, Australia have been 1 for 16 and 2 for 29, 1 for 10 and 2 for 35, and 1 for 4 and 2 for 42.

That sort of start heaps the pressure on the middle order, and leaves them scrambling, batting for time and trying to rebuild, instead of coming in with a strong platform, as they did last summer against New Zealand and Pakistan.

While India have a far superior attack to what those two nations rolled out, Australia haven’t played the first two Tests with the same positivity they had last season, or any before it.

Warner in home conditions has been phenomenal. His last score under ten was against South Africa in 2016. Since then, he has had 24 innings at home, with only three scores under 20. That’s to go with six centuries, three fifties and a further six innings in the 40s.

That is remarkable consistency, and proves he rarely will let Australia crawl off the start line, as they have done with Joe Burns and Matthew Wade at the top of the order.

While Warner holds the keys to the Australian assault, Steve Smith will also be hoping the opener will be able to remove some of the pressure he has been feeling.

Smith’s form has been dreadful since his centuries during the opening two ODI matches in Sydney. He has scores of 1, 1 not out, 0 and 8 to his name this series, and his mind looks to be elsewhere.

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Warner might be the explosive opener who can build the platform, but Smith has been oh so good in any situation he has found himself in for Australia over the years.

He needs to get back to that form in a hurry. While it’s clear bowlers are beginning to work out the former skipper, he’s a run-scoring machine and playing in Sydney might be just the cure he needs.

In his six Tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Smith has never failed to pass 50 – apart from in 2016 against the West Indies when he didn’t bat in the 150 total overs of play. It’s not his most prolific ground, but it is a consistent source of success for him, and with Warner back in the side, all the cards are falling into place for him and the Aussies to make a much better fist of it than they did in Melbourne.

Just maybe, by the time this one is all said and done, the focus will be on the bowling group as we potentially head to Brisbane for the final Test.

Smith and Warner hold the keys to Australia turning things around in Sydney. And haven’t we heard a sentence like that one before?

Australia’s two biggest performers, back in the spotlight.