Raina, Rahul in the frame for Sydney

India's return to the nets under new captain Virat Kohli has come with uncertainty around a few places in the side. If the training two days before the start of the SCG Test is any indicator, Suresh Raina is now a decent chance to play in Sydney, but despite a nervous debut capped by ordinary shots to get out, KL Rahul has not yet been sidelined. The only batsman of the squad who seemed sidelined was Rohit Sharma, who got a hit towards the end, along with the bowlers.

The bowling combination is also far from certain; Ishant Sharma must be feeling the strain of three back-to-back Tests, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar's fitness remains unclear.

Newly retired MS Dhoni continued to be with the side, and bowled quite enthusiastically in the nets. Wriddhiman Saha's right thumb was heavily strapped, but he kept wicket and batted without much discomfort. All things being similar Saha will add to his three Test caps in two days' time, but in the unlikely scenario of his missing out, Dhoni will have to come out of retirement.

That is a fanciful thought right now. In more realistic permutations, just like Rahul did before the MCG Test, Raina has become more active in the nets. He got a hit in the second batch of batsmen - along with Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara - before he bowled his fair share of offbreaks. If Raina does come in, one out of Shikhar Dhawan or Rahul might have to make way. Since his 98 in Wellington last year, Dhawan has gone past 50 only once in 13 innings. Dhawan, though, has been one of the better slip fielders, although Raina is the best India have. Pujara has struggled to put up a big score, but he is unlikely to be dropped, which means one of the three - Dhawan, Rahul and Raina - will have to sit out.

Bowling scenarios are not as straightforward. Pitches this series have not aided quicks that much anyway, and Sydney has been going through a spell of dry heat to go along with its reputation for assisting spin. Even Australia have called up an extra spinner. If India do decide to play the extra spinner, do they go back to Karn Sharma, who had an ordinary debut, or hand out a third Test cap for the series, to Akshar Patel?

Lack of a seam-bowling allrounder, though, should rule in favour of three quicks. Which is where Bhuvneshwar comes in. He bowled and batted in the nets, but he did the same in Melbourne too. It might come down to how his ankle is reacting to the workload in the nets, and whether India want to push him in a less-than-100% scenario so close to the World Cup.

India's best bowler on the tour, Ishant - who has bowled 125 overs, more than any other fast bowler in the series and second only to Nathan Lyon's 146.5 - didn't have a bowl in the nets. He focussed on his strength and conditioning. There is no injury concern to report there. Not yet at least. Varun Aaron is back from India, having attended his grandfather's funeral at the turn of the year. He should replace Mohammed Shami, who has been wayward.