It has almost become a ritual that whenever India have gone to Australia for a Test series, their backs are against the wall. It happened the last time despite having won in 2018/19 and this time more so with the Indian team suffering an unusual hammering at home at the hands of New Zealand. A whitewash no less. Add to that the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma, No 3 batter Shubman Gill and the pace ace Mohammed Shami, who has been out of action for a year now.