Following their defeat in the third Test at Melbourne, Australia will leave out Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh according to reports in the Australian Daily Telegraph. 

Finch, who only made his Test debut in the UAE against Pakistan earlier this year, has endured a barren run of form in what has generally been a tough series for batsmen. His 97 runs have come at an average of just 16.16. Usman Khawaja, currently batting at three, would then be the most likely person to open the batting alongside Marcus Harris.

Finch catching with Siddle on fence well away from main group. Nothing decided but I think Aus final call is between M Marsh/Handscomb

— Ben Horne (@BenHorne8) January 2, 2019

Mitchell Marsh is likely to be left out of the side as well, just one Test after his recall. The younger Marsh brother has been in torrid form with the bat, scoring 49 runs in his last six Test innings. Recalled initially to bolster Australia’s bowling resources on a slow MCG surface, he is set to be replaced by the leg-spinning all-rounder, Marnus Labuschagne.

Labuschagne hasn’t exactly been banging down on the selector’s doors in the Sheffield Shield – he averages just 28.22 from five matches this season with the bat – but like with Marsh at the MCG, his bowling is likely to have played a part in his selection, though he only averages 59.60 with the ball this season.

[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]

The other man possible to earn a  recall is Peter Handscomb. Handscomb was dropped after the second Test of the series but showed that he was in good form, albeit in a different format, during the BBL with an explosive 70 off just 35 balls for the Melbourne Stars.

India go into the series finale having already retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy but Australia can still prevent their opponents from becoming the first Asian side to claim a Test rubber in Australia with a win in Sydney.