NEW DELHI — Captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind India’s struggling openers but the tourists’ defeat in Perth showed they have yet to find a solution to their top order woes.

Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay have managed only one double-digit stand midway through the four-Test series in Australia, hardly the starts that would help bring India a first Test series win Down Under.

Their struggles have intensified pressure on the middle order of a team with a lengthy tail, and No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara has had to walk out to bat inside four overs on three of the four occasions.

Opening stands made telling difference in Perth, where Australia prevailed by 146 runs to square the four-Test series.

The 112-run first innings stand between Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch laid the platform for Australia’s 300-plus total in a low-scoring contest and they raised 59 in the second to help set India a target which the tourists could not achieve.

The series shifts to the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne followed by the finale in Sydney.

Australia names

unchanged squad

Australia has retained the same 13-man squad for the remaining two matches in Melbourne and Sydney, the country’s cricket board said on Tuesday.

The hosts beat the world’s top-ranked Test side by 146 runs at the Perth Stadium to level the series at 1-1 after the opening loss in Adelaide.

Uncapped paceman Chris Tremain will continue to remain out of the squad after being released before the Perth match, Cricket Australia (CA) said in a statement.

“With Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle in the squad we believe we have enough fast bowlers to choose from, so we’ve made the decision to stick with the 13 person squad for the remaining two test matches against India,” national selector Trevor Hohns said.

“We believe it’s important to keep this group together to build on the momentum we have established in Perth.”

Melbourne will host the traditional Boxing Day Test before the final match is played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from Jan. 3. Squad: Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc. — Agencies