The Indian team management is toying with the idea of playing an extra batter in the third Test in Indore, beginning Wednesday.

While the debate over replacing an out-of-form KL Rahul with Shubman Gill rages, the inclusion of an extra batter will mean India will go into the Test with four bowlers. Mohammed Siraj, who didn’t get to bowl in the second innings of the Delhi Test, is most likely to sit out in such a scenario.

Australia too had gone into the Delhi Test with four specialist bowlers — three spinners and a sole pacer in Pat Cummins.

Sources revealed that the top-order’s repeated failures in the series so far have prompted the think-tank to consider the option, the 2-0 lead notwithstanding. Gill or Suryakumar Yadav could be drafted into the XI in place of Siraj.

India had been reduced to 139 for seven in the first innings at the Kotla before Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel rescued them with a 114- run partnership. The fragile nature of the top order was also visible when India successfully chased the 115-run target, having been reduced to 88 for four at one stage.

“The team management doesn’t wish to leave anything to chance when it comes to making it 3-0 in the third Test itself. A win will also earn them a berth for the World Test Championship final,” a source told The Telegraph.

Australia’s Steve Smith with Ravichandran Ashwin and India head coach Rahul Dravid (right) during the teams’ practice session in Indore on Monday. PTI photo

Nothing can be taken for granted on uneven surfaces where the ball is turning and bouncing. Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy have so far taken 8 and 10 wickets, respectively.

Rahul has already incurred a lot of wrath but continues to enjoy the confidence of head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma. None of India’s top-order batters, except for Rohit who scored a century in the opener, have enthused confidence in the ranks.

India’s three top run-getters are Rohit (183), Axar Patel (158) and Ravindra Jadeja (96), with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara aggregating 76 and 38, respectively.

Rahul, opening the innings alongside Rohit, has returned scores of 20, 17 and 1 in this series. His last half-century came in Johannesburg in January 2022, the same series in which he scored his last Test century.

Steve Smith will lead Australia in the third Test and with left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc likely to return, the Indians want to be prepared for any eventuality. Rahul and Gill batted side by side at nets in Indore on Monday sparking a lot of speculation on the composition.

India have recently been playing Tests, at home and away, with five bowlers. But the question remains: who will bat down the order if both Rahul and Gill play?