The senior duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli faced growing scrutiny over their form after India's crushing defeat in the Adelaide Test.
Australia handed India a 10 wicket thrashing at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday to level the five match Border Gavaskar Trophy series 1-1.
India's batting was a disaster as they lasted a total of 81 overs across both innings, failing to cross the 200 run mark both times.
While the whole batting unit faltered, the spotlight fell firmly on Rohit and Kohli, whose lean patches in recent times have become a matter of concern.
Kohli, who seemed to have rediscovered his form as he hit a century in the first Test at Perth, struggled against the swinging pink ball in Adelaide. Uncertain footwork coupled with poor shot selection cost him his wickets in Adelaide as he managed just 18 runs in the match.
In the first innings, he was caught in the slips after he made a late decision to leave the length ball angled across by Mitchell Starc. In the next innings, Scott Boland sent him back with a beauty as he pushed away from the body, edging to wicket-keeper Alex Carey.
Captain Rohit took a sensible call to bat at No 6 in this Test after he had missed the series opener in Perth, in which makeshift opener K L Rahul exceeded all expectations with his gritty batting in both innings. However, the move failed.
Rohit, batting in the middle order in Test cricket after six years, was at all sea against the pace bowlers. He was undone by Boland's sharp inswinger to be trapped leg before for 3 and was bowled by a beauty from Pat Cummins in the second innings for six.
Rohit's career is going downward quite steeply in Tests. Since the Bangladesh series in September, the skipper has managed just one fifty in 12 innings, falling in single digit scores eight times.
Similarly, Kohli has nothing apart from his Perth century and the 70 against New Zealand in the Bengaluru Test, getting dismissed eight times for single digit scores in his last 14 innings.
Rohit is likely to revert back to the opening position for the third Test in Brisbane, a move he will hope can resurrect his form.
For Kohli, it will be about working hard in the nets to iron out issues with his off-stump game and avoid chasing deliveries away from the body.
India will need their senior pros to bounce back at the Gabba in Brisbane and lead the charge in a series that hangs in the balance.
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