Dead rubber offers India a chance to regroup

It looked like the only way Marnus Labuschagne could have been made to bring an end to his nets session on Tuesday (December 1). But even as everyone else in the Australian camp ran for cover from the thunderstorm that lashed the Manuka Oval, the batting tragic dragged himself off slowly. Labuschagne then also paused for a moment, looked up at the dark skies and stuck his arms out almost as if to complain to the heavens.

Australia had been in the practice area for around an hour and a half at that point. Labuschagne of course had taken over the nets from Steve Smith once the double-centurion of the series had finally vacated the premises. And he was busy facing some rather lively throwdowns from a support staff member when the Canberra weather turned dramatically. Next to him was Cameron Green getting some hands-on coaching from Justin Langer, which included a lively chat that from a distance seemed to be about hitting zones.

Purely based on the amount of fast short-of-length throwdowns Labuschagne had just begun to face minutes before the storm, you wonder whether he was prepping himself for an opportunity to bat at the top of the order. And if his frustration was also to do with his routine being unceremoniously disturbed. We'll have to wait till Wednesday (December 2) afternoon to find out though, considering skipper Aaron Finch's decision earlier in the day