Melbourne: Indian batsmen have been told to exorcise their Boxing Day Test demons ahead of the second Test starting in Sydney on Wednesday.

Another loss would see India's hope of winning the series dashed.

While shoddy ground fielding was a concern, India's main worry emanating from the 337-run loss in Melbourne was its batsmen's inability to score freely against the Australian attack, team management said.

Assistant coach and team manager, Lalchand Rajput said,"the problem was not so much one of technique but rather a case of a lack of self-belief." "I think self belief is very important and as a player if you have self belief you can always survive in any conditions," he said.

"When we started the Test match we had to be in a frame of mind where we were very positive. The start was very crucial which we never got so I think that put a lot of pressure on us so I think we'll overcome that. Where in the first Test we were a bit defensive but we'll come back very strong because we also have strategies, which I cannot tell you now, but definitely we'll be back strongly," he said.

When asked whether the need for more aggression at the top of the order would result in Virender Sehwag re-entering the Test fray 12 months after playing his last match, he said, " I will put it that way that all the 15 are available for selection so we'll have a look at the wicket and see which is the best XI we can play in the Test match."

Source : UNI