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Australian offspinner Nathan Lyon is backing India to come out firing at the MCG after the tourists crumbled for 36 in a first Test horror-show.
Many are expecting India to be carrying mental scars from their record collapse in the first Test, but Australian spinner Nathan Lyon isn't one of them.
India left the Adelaide Oval reeling after posting their lowest total in Test history - an astonishing 36 after holding a 53-run first innings lead.
They were already bracing to lose talismanic captain Virat Kohli after the pink-ball Test, but the day-three horror show plunged the tourists into even more trouble.
Cricket legend Ricky Ponting declared Australia had opened up "serious wounds" on India and there was a "good chance" of a 4-0 sweep following the eight-wicket result to open the series.
But Lyon knows from experience how quickly fortunes can change.
He has been involved in a number of devastating defeats at international level during his decade-long career.
The offspinner was just 23 and playing in his fourth international match when Australia crumbled for 47 in a disastrous second innings against South Africa in 2011.
Just a week later, Australia responded by securing a famous two-wicket victory to level the series in Johannesburg.
Lyon believes India will come out full of fire in the Boxing Day Test, even without Kohli, and quick Mohammed Shami (broken arm).
"You look at the quality of players in the Indian side and they've got some world-class players throughout the whole squad," the 33-year-old said.
"(Saturday) was one of the days where nothing went right for them and everything went right for us. We've had all them, it's part of the game of cricket.
"We're expecting them to come out firing and not have any scars from the other day.
"Cricket's a new game every day so you can't look too far back on it.
"We can't go out there expecting to bowl them out for (less than) 50 again."
Australia will likely head to the MCG unchanged, where they will be striving for a 2-0 series lead.
Injured opening batsman David Warner is in Melbourne, but is recovering from a groin strain and remains outside of the team's COVID-safe bubble.
