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Hanuma Vihari is the latest member of India's squad to suffer an injury, while it is unclear whether Rishabh Pant will be able to take the gloves in Brisbane.

Injured wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant could be retained in India's depleted XI as a specialist batsman for the final Test after his plucky knock at the SCG.

The tourists' injury carnage, which continued when Hanuma Vihari tweaked his hamstring while running between the wickets on a dramatic final day of the third Test, is set to create major headaches for selectors.

Vihari continued to bat after his setback on Monday but was clearly restricted.

India's depth will be tested in Brisbane, where Virat Kohli (paternity leave), Mohammed Shami (arm) and Umesh Yadav (calf), Ishant Sharma (side), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (thigh), KL Rahul (wrist) and Ravindra Jadeja (thumb) will be unavailable.

There are also questions over Pant and Vihari's fitness.

Pant was rushed off for scans after being struck on the elbow by a delivery in India's first innings of the SCG Test, with the early fears being that Pat Cummins had inflicted serious damage.

Pant was unable to keep throughout Australia's second innings, when substitute fielder Wriddhiman Saha took the gloves.

But the 23-year-old entered the fray on Monday, earlier than expected at No.5 after being promoted above Vihari, and produced a bedazzling counter-punch.

Pant scored five runs from his first 34 balls then sparked to life, crashing 12 fours and three sixes in an entertaining knock of 97 from 118 deliveries.

The aggressive keeper-batsman, who went down swinging at Nathan Lyon while on 97, will be assessed before the series finale starts at the Gabba on Friday.

India, who will be required to make at least one change because of Jadeja's enforced omission, may opt to include both Pant and Saha in their side for the fourth Test.

"I'm pretty certain that they will," Sunil Gavaskar said, when asked if India will consider picking Pant as a specialist batsman.

Ricky Ponting, sitting alongside Gavaskar in the Seven commentary box, suggested there would be plenty of debate among the tourists about their XI for the Gabba Test.

"Jadeja is going to go out," Ponting said.

"Do they need five bowlers in Brisbane? Can they get through with the three quicks and one offspinner?

"If they did that, they could bring Saha in for Jadeja and leave the batting the same.

"Or do they keep going with Pant (as keeper) and try and strengthen their top order batting?

"They will probably need extra batting, to be honest, at the Gabba."

Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw, who have both been axed during this series, are the only reserve batsmen left in India's squad.