SYDNEY, Jan 1: Virender Sehwag could be recalled to give India some aggression at the top of the batting order in Wednesday’s second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the tourists are under pressure to prevent Australia equalling their world record winning streak.

The highly-rated Indian batting line-up failed twice in Melbourne, bowled out for 196 and 161, with trouble starting at the top both times with incredibly slow starts from Rahul Dravid.

In two innings, he scored 21 runs from 217 balls.

India captain Anil Kumble said Sehwag was being considered for an opening spot to reinvigorate the top order, while Dravid was rated a “50-50” chance of opening or dropping back to No 3.

Sehwag “brings positivism to our batting,” Kumble said. “Before his loss of form, he was a very important part of our team. He’s looked good in the nets ... he’s in the scheme of things.”

The 29-year-old right-hander averages 49.46 from 52 Tests at a brisk strike rate of 75.75, but has not played a test match for 12 months.

Kumble promised “more fight” and more commitment from his batsmen in Sydney, where India must win to have a chance of taking the four-Test series.

“We were very disappointed in Melbourne, but we’ve put that disappointment behind us,” he said.

Kumble would finalize his line-up after an inspection of the SCG pitch before play Wednesday morning.

Australia, aiming for a 16th consecutive win to equal the mark they set between October 1999 and February 2001 under the captaincy of Steve Waugh, will take an unchanged line-up into the second Test.

That previous record streak ended in a loss to India on 2001 at Kolkata, where India produced a stunning comeback, winning after being forced to follow-on, in a result that turned the series.

The current India line-up contained many of the stars of that series, which made Australia captain Ricky Ponting cautious on a pitch in Sydney that traditionally suits the subcontinental game.

“Let’s get it all in perspective. We’ve had a great win but it’s just one Test out of four,” Ponting said. “Take the MCG (result) away and they’ve made a truckload of runs. Everyone has a bad Test. They’re an ultra-talented batting line-up.“We have some momentum, but ... If we sit back and wait for things to happen, we know India are pretty good to take advantage of that.”

The last time Australia and India met at the SCG in 2004, India put on 705 for seven declared in the first innings and the match was drawn.

“They’re capable of doing that (again) but we’ve got a team that can prevent that happening,” Ponting said.

Spin usually dominates at the SCG, where the pitch normally offers prodigious turn in the latter stages and bounce on the opening day.

Kumble took 12 wickets in his last Test here and Harbhajan Singh is growing in confidence after dismissing Ponting cheaply in Melbourne. The Indian off-spinner has dismissed Ponting six times in seven Tests they’ve played and says he has the Australian captain’s measure.

“He’s got a great record in Tests against me. He got me first ball last week,” Ponting said. “But it could be my turn here. I’m training hard, it’s just a matter of time before I get some runs.”

Ponting, who has scored five of his 33 Test centuries at the SCG, expected Australian wrist spinner Brad Hogg to have an impact on the match despite little Test experience.

The Indians last week targeted Hogg, who only earned a call up when Stuart MacGill – expected to be Shane Warne’s mid-term placement – was injured.

“There’s no doubt he would have taken a lot of confidence from the number of wickets he got from the last Test. It was a preconceived plan to get after him – Sachin (Tendulkar) and then Saurav Ganguly in the first innings.

“I just tried to give him a bit more protection, keep him bowling to give him the confidence. His flipper last week was as good as anyone’s – even Warney’s in his heyday. You’ll probably see him more confident in Sydney.”

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