Steve Smith, left, David Warner, centre, and Tim Paine, right, could soon be reunited once the first two's bans expire.

Australia captain Tim Paine has thrown out the welcome mat to exiled duo Steve Smith and David Warner as selectors contemplate ringing the changes after a 137-run defeat in the third Test.

Selectors have sent an SOS to rookie Marnus Labuschagne by including him in what is now a 14-man squad for the Sydney Test, leaving opener Aaron Finch and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh sweating over their futures after Australia's problematic batting failed in Melbourne.

Australia's year from hell finished on a low with India requiring only 27 balls to collect the two wickets needed to complete their first victory in Melbourne since 1981 and retain the Border-Gavaksar Trophy. A draw will be enough for India, up 2-1, to secure their first series success on these shores.

GETTY IMAGES Australian captain Tim Paine can't wait for the banned duo of Steve Smith and David Warner to return.

For all the debate over the banned trio's international futures, Australia's continued underperformance with the bat shows how valuable players of Smith's and Warner's talent are. Their suspensions have exposed the parlous state of Australia's batting stocks.

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The inability of Australia's batsmen to compile big scores proved costly on an MCG pitch which required players to bat for long periods to have any chance of prospering.

ALBERT PEREZ/GETTY Marnus Labuschagne after being dismissed in a Sheffield Shield match.

Since the final Test of last summer's Ashes, Australia's batsmen have scored only one century in nine games with no player averaging above 40.

The numbers in the Shield also make for sobering reading with few players in state ranks averaging above 40 in first-class cricket. Those that are, such as Glenn Maxwell, Joe Burns and Kurtis Patterson, remain on the outer.

Underscoring the gap between state and Test level, Marcus Harris is the best performed batsman of the past three Shield seasons but is averaging 29 in his first series.

ALBERT PEREZ/GETTY Marnus Labuschagne made his test debut against Pakistan in October.

Smith and Warner have another three months of their 12-month ban to serve before they are eligible for international selection. That day cannot come soon enough for Paine, who has lost four of his six Tests as captain.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported last week Warner had the backing of Paine and coach Justin Langer despite Smith and Cameron Bancroft's controversial comments.

"If you've got world-class players that aren't in your team, are they going to add to our team? I think they will," Paine said.

QUINN ROONEY/GETTY Opener Aaron Finch may be moved down the order.

"We're getting towards the end when those guys are coming back. That's what the conversation should be around now.

"It's all been out there. People have had their say and the guys have nearly finished their bans and done their time so I think it's time we started focusing on the fact they're coming back and from that there are real positives."

Paine called for patience with the current group, of which Finch, Travis Head and Harris have played five Tests or fewer.

ASANKA BRENDON RATNAYAKE Australia's Mitchell Marsh is in the spotlight.

"So while at the moment it's challenging and everyone's frustrated, it is what it is and everyone is working as hard as they possibly can and we're getting guys who are getting experience of high pressure situations in Test cricket and learning on the job," Paine said.

"At times you're going to get inconsistency from guys that are in that situation. The silver lining is that we have got world-class players that are available soon to come back into this side and clearly when they do it will make a huge difference."

Paine foreshadowed changes in Sydney with selectors to make calls on Finch and Marsh. Finch has struggled as an opener, averaging 16 this series, but could get a lifeline down the order, while Marsh faces a challenge from Labuschagne, whose part-time leggies appear more valuable on a SCG pitch expected to favour spin.

"I think there'll be a lot of things on the table in the next day or two and I've got some thoughts on what I think but I think I'll share that with JL and a few other guys before I share it here," Paine said.

"In Perth on a really tough wicket, our top six dug in and had a real crack. In this game, no doubt we were a little bit disappointing.

"That's going to happen from time to time - we've just got to try and make sure we're improving and making sure our good and our bat is a little bit closer together than what it has been in the last couple of Test matches.

"But I think it's pretty common, you see that when you've got inexperienced players in your top six against high-quality bowling."

Labuschagne impressed with his leg-spin in the UAE, snaring seven wickets at 22, and showed promise with the bat without putting it all together.