Dhawan, Sharma, Raina: Three musketeers, well almost!

Indian batsmen have been in ripe form in the recent past. A heady cocktail of form and aggression has given the side a lethal edge - one that is expected to strangle opposition further when unleashed at home.

So when the Australians - with all their World Cups and past laurels neatly wrapped in statistical handbags - arrive in the sub-continent, expect the hosts to greet them with a relentless shower of runs. The seven-ODIs in front of home fans after all, will be a perfect stage for several players to showcase their power - Live!

No one person in contemporary cricket perhaps, defines power better than Shikhar Dhawan. He smacked the fastest Test century on debut against Australia last year and the series ahead - against the same side - will have him smacking his lips.

Dhawan in fact, is not just a player with a 'mis-understood' definition of Test cricket. His quick and merciless style of play extends to all formats of the game - a strike-rate of 88.28 and three centuries from 19 ODI innings against the new ball adds incredible credence to the man. "Once you score big runs at the start of your international career, you get really confident," he said at a press conference recently. "It's good that I started off really well and I just want to continue the same form and play smart cricket so that I could be consistent."

The series against Australia will be provide an ideal platform to Dhawan as he tries to show that consistency is an art he is well-versed in, as well.

Consistency - an art aside - has been a major roadblock for two other players in the team. Both Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina have been strong performers in the recent past but much like Dhawan, may be found trying to show that they can run the cricketing marathon just as well as they can do the sprint.

Sharma for instance, has been eyeing a Test berth since finding form in the shorter format of the game. "I am confident. I am expecting another Test call-up and making my debut," he was quoted as saying by a news agency which also reported that the 26-year-old is unfazed by talks of being unable to build on starts.

These starts and how he builds on them however will show if Sharma is allowed to add the white jersey to his wardrobe, or not. And the competition will be close on his heels all the way. "Sure, the competition has become much tougher. But it's good for Indian cricket," he said recently.

With old war-horses breathing fire once again, the pressure to cement a spot will be very evident and while Sharma may yet manage to put forth his case, middle-order all-rounder Raina may not have selectors blessings for too long.

The 26-year-old Uttar Pradesh player has been a regular in the Indian side and this hasn't been without a strong reason. A useful player to have in the side, Raina has rescued the side on several occasions. The need now is for him to be more of a strong finisher rather than a cameo-man - an attribute which hurts his ODI average of 36.48.

While numbers may still be quite special in defining these three players, the series against Australia will provide them with an opportunity to show that scoring runs by the heaps is a natural part of their cricket and not a rare skill that surfaces occasionally to rapturous applause.