Australia vs India 2018-19: 3 key factors that can influence the third Test

#1 Spin to win?

Nathan Lyon has been the best bowler in the series thus far

Nathan Lyon has been in stunning form this series and has out-bowled his Indian counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin so far, even though the latter wasn’t there to make his case in the Perth Test.

What was noticeable about the two spinners’ performance in this series has been the fact that Lyon has managed to pick up wickets even without much help from the pitch and in situations where he was getting little support from the other end.

On the other hand, Ashwin was highly underwhelming with his performance in the second innings of the Adelaide Test and struggled for wickets on a pitch offering generous turn and against a line-up full of inexperienced left-handers.

The splendid performance of Lyon's suggests is that if the pitch is of the same nature as last year, then Australia may have the advantage of having a spinner who has shown the ability to make a mark on unsympathetic wickets.

India, on the other hand, could either choose Ashwin, who has produced disappointing performances in Australia so far or Ravindra Jadeja, who also doesn’t have a greatly encouraging record in non-Asian conditions. A flat wicket with little deterioration, which one expects at MCG, is just what the Aussies would want.