A brilliant Test series has crept up on us

Without Virat Kohli and their frontline quicks, India were given no chance, but a group of Invisibles is on the verge of becoming the Incredibles

Indian net bowler T Natarajan is a chance to play his first Test

Somehow, between the bin fires, the controversies, the catastrophes, the injuries, the absences, the quarantines and the outrage, a brilliant Test series has crept up on us.

For the first time in three decades we have a trophy at stake in the last Test.

A four-Test series coming down to the fourth Test is almost unknown territory. Generally the last Test of the summer (usually at the SCG) is a bit like the last stage of the Tour de France, where the winners sip champagne as they freewheel towards Paris and the podium.

When Australia won so resoundingly in Adelaide and Virat Kohli climbed on a plane to attend the birth of his first child, it felt as if the air had gone out of the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy and the next three matches would involve a bit of pedalling, a bit of sipping, but not much effort.

David Warner also missed the first two Tests and while we had the joy of young players such as Cameron Green, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, Navdeep Saini and — eventually, if only briefly — Will Pucovski, the series seemed to be lacking Box Office.

When Australia saw that Kohli would play only one match, spirits dropped because here is a man who defines the modern rivalry between the two teams.

Billing aside, it is extraordinary that a travelling troupe of extras and leftovers has managed to come back from being one-nil down after Adelaide and then resurrect themselves from the dead on the fifth day at the SCG to keep the series locked one-all.

At least six members of the original Indian squad are unavailable for the fourth Test.

You could argue that the draw in Sydney was an even greater achievement than the win in Melbourne, but you will not be able to argue about the significance of India’s achievement if they win this series.

Forget the invincibles, this mob are almost the Invisibles without Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Ravi Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and so on and so forth.

Try this exercise. Australia are without Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Michael Neser. Who bowls this Test?

While you are at it, put a line through Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson.

India are without its five first-choice quicks: Sharma, Bumrah, Shami, Bhuvnewshar Kumar and Umesh Yadav.

Spinner Jadeja has been ruled out, Ravi Ashwin is in doubt.

To make matters worse, it’s not an ordinary tour and so there is at least a two-week delivery time on Uber Bowlers home delivery service.

T Natarajan, came out as a net bowler, but played in the short format and was then asked to stay back as a net bowler for the Tests. He skipped the birth of a child to do so, but is an outside chance now of playing a Test for his county.

It is more likely Shardal Thakur will play and if Ashwin doesn’t make it, a bloke called Washington Sundar could get a start.

The Indians nabbed the trophy from an undermanned Australian side for the first time in 71 years last time they were here, but for an undermanned touring group to emerge with a 2-1 victory is the sort of achievement that demands open-topped buses, an eight part documentary series and something special from the Tony Greig Memorial Memorabilia Emporium.

Tim Paine tensed up on the fifth day in Sydney as things turned against the team. He will be determined to approach this one with a clear mind and relaxed hands.

“I’ve said lots of times before that with the Test Championships, every Test is important in terms of where our team wants to be and again every Test you play for Australia as an individual is a huge Test match,” he said.

“Everyone is playing for spots, playing for careers. It’s a serious business every time you go out to play for Australia and we’re aware that this is a big Test match, but that doesn’t change the way we go about it or change the way we prepare, doesn’t change the way we will try and play. We have to try and execute on skill and many times I’ve said when we can do that we can beat any team in the world.”

Who is playing for spots?

Matthew Wade would want to score some runs.

Steve Smith will score runs if his past is any guide. In England he rose to the challenge because it felt as if the world was against him. He did the same at the SCG. He thrives on proving people wrong and he will have been stung by the criticism of his pitch scratching this week.

Pucovski is, for the time being, known around the group as Puc, but watch this space.

There was once an advertisement in the newspapers for a Lost Dog which read “three legged hound with some fur, most missing due to mange, blind in one eye, half a tail from a car accident and slightly arthritic. Goes by the name Lucky.”

If Pucovski’s shoulder is a four-week injury some questions need to be asked about including him in the squad for the tour of South Africa next month.