Australia vs India 2018-19: 3 Indian players for whom this could be the last tour Down Under

India will be taking on Australia for around two months in what will be the major event for both the nations before the World Cup. The T20 series is already over, and all eyes would be on the Test series which has always gone in favor of Australia over the years.

However, the hosts have a depleted squad now, making this the best chance for the strong Indian squad to secure an overseas Test series victory.

The Border-Gavaskar trophy last took place in Australia four years ago, and there are many differences in the teams that competed then and the teams that will play now. Similarly, a lot of changes will happen before the next such tour, and hence this series could be the last in Australia for a few Indians.

Let us take a look at these players:

#3 Parthiv Patel

Parthiv Patel was a failure on this year's tour to South Africa, and Dinesh Karthik was preferred ahead of him for the England series. Hence, it was surprising when Parthiv was selected to tour Australia despite Rishabh Pant and Karthik being in decent form.

However, Parthiv can offer a wealth of experience and could also be used as a reserve opener. He made his debut before any Indian player on this tour, and his inclusion could be vital.

Going forward, with the emergence of young wicketkeepers like Ishaan Kishan and Sanju Samson, Parthiv might find it tough to get selected for an Australia tour again. He will look to end this series on a high keeping that in mind.

#2 Murali Vijay

This will be a crucial tournament for Murali Vijay

Murali Vijay was controversially dropped mid-way through the England series, and was not selected for the home series against Windies. However, the Tamil Nadu opener made a comeback to the squad after his productive spell in county cricket.

Vijay has been good in the practice match too, and will likely open the innings in the first Test on 6th December.

This will be a crucial tournament for Vijay as it could end his career with the national team if he does not perform well. With youngsters like Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal putting immense pressure on the veteran, Vijay will want to end what will likely be his last tour to Australia with a few good scores.

#1 Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma could be playing his final tournament in Australia

Of all the current players in the current Indian cricket team, Ishant Sharma is the most experienced in Australian conditions. The lanky fast bowler from Delhi came into the limelight in Australia a decade ago, and his bowling spells to Ricky Ponting are still vividly remembered.

Ishant is now a one-format player for India, and hence his performance in the upcoming series could define the team's success in Australia.

After a successful spell in county cricket, Ishant was good in England. He missed out on the home series against Windies but now that he is fit again, he will lead India's bowling attack in Australia.

Ishant is 30 years old, and he is constantly troubled with injuries. It would not be surprising if his career with India ended before the next tour to Australia. Moreover, a number of young fast bowlers like Rajneesh Gurbani, Navdeep Saini and Mohammad Siraj have been performing well at the domestic level, and they could replace the experienced bowler soon.