Ranking the current Indian batsmen by their Test average in Australia

After suffering successive series defeats in South Africa and England, India would be looking to bounce back and create history by beating Australia in Australia and thus register their first ever Test series win on Australian soil. The tour which is two months long would be the biggest challenge team India and Kohli face before the 2019 World Cup.

India's record in Australia has been poor historically. They have failed to win a series in Australia and lost 28 of the 44 Test matches they have played in Australia, managing to win 5. Adding to this, India have never won a series in Australia. Virat's men will have a difficult task on their hands if they want to change and rewrite history. The first Test will start from 6th December.

With the absence of David Warner and Steve Smith, the expectations amongst Indian fans are high.

So to help your cause, here are the rankings for 7 current Indian batsman according to their averages in Australia.

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#6 Shikhar Dhawan

Matches: 3 | Innings: 6 | Runs: 167 | Average: 27.83 | Highest: 81 |

50s: 1 | 100s: 0 |

Edged and gone!

The Indian opener has a poor record in Australia carrying an average of only 27.83 beside his name. He kept poking at the balls outside the off-stump and kept chipping the balls against the wickets. He was also one of the only two Indian top-middle order batsmen who did not manage to get a century in the test series.

While Shikhar Dhawan has been brilliant in white ball cricket in Australia, his chances to make the 11 for the test matches are slim with Prithvi Shaw performing well in the Tests against West Indies and KL Rahul's majestic hundred in the 5th Test in England.

#5 KL Rahul

Matches: 2 | Innings: 4 | Runs: 130 | Average: 32.5 |Highest: 110 |

50s: 0 | 100s: 1 |

Just 2-3 years back, KL Rahul was being considered as the next big thing in Indian cricket after Virat due to his superb IPL and Ranji performances. He finally got a chance to prove his worth when he made his Test debut in Australia on the Boxing Day, though the start was not the one he would have wanted, failing in both the innings of the Boxing Day test. His fortunes soon turned around in the Sydney Test where is managed to get his maiden Test century in his second game.

His performances against England in the recent tour were not great but by scoring 186 runs in the 5th and final Test which comprised a majestic 149 which brought India close to almost chasing down a record target of 464 he has cemented his place in the Indian line-up for the Australian test series.

#4 Cheteshwar Pujara

Matches: 3 | Innings: 6 | Runs: 201 |Average: 33.5 |Highest: 73 |

50s: 1 | 100s: 0 |

Cheteshwar Pujara did not have the best of times in the 2014 Australian tour where he was one of the only two batsmen besides Dhawan who did not manage a century for India. Though he did not have a horror of a tour, he was not able to convert his starts into a big innings. He kept struggling against bounce and the deliveries coming into him from Starc and Hazlewood which resulted in him getting dropped from the side.

In the recent England tour, he had decent outings managing 278 runs at an average of 39.71. He was India's second best batsman and his average of 39.71, was the second best in the whole test series. It would be interesting to see how Pujara fares in the upcoming test series in Australia.

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

Matches: 4 | Innings: 8| Runs: 399 |Average: 57.00 |Highest: 147 |

50s: 2 | 100s: 1 |

The Indian vice-captain had a fabulous tour of Australia in 2014 where he scored 399 runs at an impressive average of 57. He also managed a century and two fifties. His partnerships with Kohli helped India get to 300+ scores in all four matches. He barely struggled against any bowler and was solid with his defensive technique.

Times have changed and there has been a remarkable dip in Rahane's performances, and the recent England tour was an example of the same where he managed only 257 runs at an average of 25.7. Rahane would be under pressure to perform well after his below average run in test cricket for the last two years. Team India would be expecting a lot more from their vice-captain. He would be a key to India's success in Australia.

#2 Murli Vijay

Matches: 4 | Innings: 8| Runs: 482 |Average: 60.25 |Highest: 144 |50s: 5 | 100s: 1 |

It may come as an initial surprise to some because of Vijay's recent form, but not so long ago Vijay was India's best overseas batsman after Rahane. Vijay just like Rahane had a fabulous tour of Australia in 2014 where he scored 400+ runs at an average of 60+. He was India's premiere opener couple of years ago with his solid technique and leaves he always managed to see the new ball through.

Just like Rahane, there has been a severe dip in his performances. He got dropped midway through the England test series after failures in all his four innings. The chances of him being on the trip to Australia are slim as Mayank Agarwal was preferred over him in the squad in the recently concluded test series against West Indies.

#1 Virat Kohli

Matches: 8 | Innings: 16| Runs: 992 |Average: 62.00 |Highest: 169 |

50s: 2 |100s: 5 |

Enters the king.

The Indian captain carries an absolute majestic record in Australia and like in many other lists he tops this one too. Kohli is just eight short of getting to a 1000 runs in Australia which would be nothing but an incredible feat. He has five centuries in Australia which include his maiden test ton which he got in the 4th test of the 2011 tour where a failure may have resulted in him getting dropped from the side.

The previous tour was a special one for him where he got four centuries in four matches and was handed the test captaincy after the retirement of MS Dhoni after the 3rd test.

Virat's success as a batsman and captain would again be a must for India's success in Australia. He was by far India's best batsman in the last two overseas tours and the same would be expected of him again.