Former coach Ravi Shastri has backed India to win the Boxing Day Test, saying the visitors have exploited Australia's "brittle" top order to have their "nose ahead" in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Shastri added that Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is "almost single-handedly" responsible for the visitors keeping the series levelled at 1-1.
"I think India would take this, the way the series is poised. Any overseas team being 1-1, especially with the games being in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, they would take this.
"Going 1-1 into Boxing Day is the best case scenario. I would say India have their nose ahead," Shastri told news.com.au.
Australia's top order comprising Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne have been unable to score against Bumrah.
it has have forced them to hand a debut to teenage sensation Sam Konstas while dropping rookie opener Nathan McSweeney.
"It's been pretty brittle. When you look at this Australian line-up, it's been a long time since I'