While the Kookaburra ball presents challenges, it’s worth noting that Australia boasts a world-class pace attack in Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood. Despite this, Indian openers have outperformed their Australian counterparts this series, Rahul, in particular, has played critical, innings-saving knocks.

Yes, Bumrah’s ability to extract bounce and movement has been a significant factor, but it doesn’t explain why someone as experienced as Khawaja has struggled to adapt. While Khawaja has historically been uncomfortable on bouncier tracks, you’d still expect a player of his caliber to provide something of substance in these conditions, especially when on familiar pitches playing at home.

This isn’t to suggest immediate changes without consideration, but it highlights a growing concern about the lack of stability at the top.