Aussie quicks search for reverse answer

Reverse swing has been a talking point for Australia's quicks, but the big-name trio can't be sure why they're not getting full purchase out of the old ball this summer.

Australia's struggles were laid bare in the Melbourne loss, where they were unable to produce any real movement with the old ball for the majority of the opening two days of the third Domain Test as India took control of the match.

In contrast India had no such troubles, skittling through the hosts on both days three and four and only meeting any real resistance when they took the new ball late in the second innings before taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Pat Cummins said the Australia's bowlers were seeking a similar response from the old ball.

"We spoke about it a bit," Cummins said ahead of Thursday's fourth and final Domain Test in Sydney.

"It's just one of those things. Maybe on day one and two when we bowled the wicket wasn't as abrasive and that makes a big difference.

"We tried to bowl some cross-seamers and it didn't seem to scuff up as much as a couple of days later.

"Sometimes you get a ball that goes and sometimes you get a ball that doesn't. No doubt they (India) bowled really well with it and presented a good seam and suited those conditions."

Australia's inability to swing the ball has surely hurt their quicks – particularly Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

Starc is considered one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world when he gets the ball swinging late, while Hazlewood's nagging areas thrive on movement.

Cummins is not so dependent, his impressive average of 20 with the ball this summer testament to that.

There is of course more scrutiny on Australia's ball management this summer, following the Cape Town sandpaper scandal that saw Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft suspended.

While Australia has been potent with the new ball – dominance that prompted India to ditch both KL Rahul and Murali Vijay as openers after two Tests – they have not had the same impact this summer as in last season's Ashes series once the ball is beyond 40 overs old.

"To be honest I don't remember getting too much reverse swing last summer in the Ashes, I don't think it played a big part," Cummins said.

"I know last summer traditional swing there was pretty much none.

"We know we're going to be out there for quite a while bowling (this summer), it's a really good team and the wickets have been really dry.

"Reverse swing is a big factor, especially for the other two. Josh presents a really good seam and we know what Starcy does."

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: India won by 31 runs

Dec 14-18: Australia won by 146 runs

Dec 26-30: India won by 137 runs

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar