Melbourne, Dec 24 (NationPress) Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald has expressed his confidence in top-order batter Usman Khawaja to regain his form in the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after an unsatisfactory start to the series against India.

Khawaja, who celebrated his 38th birthday last Wednesday, has managed to score only 55 runs in the first three Tests and has reached the 50-run mark in just one of his last 17 innings for the national team. Despite his recent struggles, the Australian coach believes that Khawaja's preparation suggests that a significant score is on the horizon.

"I think he’s fine, Usman is not a concern. Batting has been challenging recently due to a ball-dominating bat. However, his method is clear, his preparation is solid, and good players always find their way back to scoring runs. I’m confident that will happen in the upcoming Test matches," McDonald stated to the media on Tuesday.

McDonald also voiced his support for Labuschagne, who broke his poor run of form with a strong performance, scoring 64 runs during Australia’s ten-wicket win at the Adelaide Oval. He emphasized that Labuschagne performs best when he adopts an aggressive style at the crease.

"We’ve been clear that when he (Labuschagne) is at his best, he shows intent and keeps busy at the crease, as we saw in Adelaide. He can be quite a nuisance at the crease, and we hope to see an annoying Marnus on Boxing Day," the head coach remarked.

McDonald acknowledged that Australia’s batting lineup has displayed inconsistency throughout the first three Tests, leading to significant strain on the team’s fast bowlers.

"Both batting lineups have faced challenges, and that’s a testament to the quality of both bowling attacks. The pitches have also favored the ball over the bat in this series. This isn’t different from the previous summers we’ve experienced here," McDonald noted.

"India possesses a formidable batting lineup, but I believe there will be a recalibration for both batting sides in the next couple of Test matches," he added.

With the series currently tied at 1-1 following the three Tests, the fourth match is set to be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26.