India ponder SOS call to veteran quick after Test loss

India could send an SOS to veteran paceman Mohammed Shami to travel to Australia for the remainder of the Test series.

India captain Rohit Sharma is imploring more players to step up in support of strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah after the tourists lost the second Test by 10 wickets in Adelaide.

With the series locked at one-all ahead of the third Test at the Gabba starting on Saturday, Sharma says the "door is very much open" for Shami to join the squad.

Shami hasn't played for India since last year's 50-over World Cup final in November last year. His most recent Test was in June last year.

The 34-year-old had ankle surgery last February but returned to action in India's domestic ranks last month and has since played seven Twenty20 games.

"We want to be very, very careful," Sharma said.

"We don't want to bring him here ... and he plays and he pulls up sore or something happens.

"We want to be more than 100 per cent sure with him because it has been such a long time that he has not played (international) cricket.

"And to be fair to him, we don't want to put pressure on him to come here and do the job for the team.

"There are some professionals that are monitoring him ... we will take the call on what those guys feel because they are the ones watching him every game."

Shami would bolster an Indian pace attack spearheaded by Bumrah, who has taken 12 wickets at an average of 11.25 in the opening two Tests.

Sharma said the world's No.1 bowler shouldn't be exclusively relied on for India to defeat Australia.

"It's a great thing to have someone like Bumrah but he's not the only one who is going to get the job done every time," he said.

"The other guys have to take that responsibility ... there are times when Bumrah will not get wickets and the other guys needs to step in.

"And that is how we talk within our batting group as well ... share the responsibility.

"It's not about just one individual or two individuals.

"If you want to win the Test match, the series, everyone needs to share that responsibility of putting their hand up and getting the job done.

"That is something I have seen within the group for many years now - it's not the case now."