Sydney shapes as emotional challenge for players

It's been an emotionally taxing Commonwealth Bank Test series for Australia and it won't get any easier in Sydney.

The tragic death of Phillip Hughes is still on the minds of Steve Smith and his teammates, especially the four players who were fielding at the SCG when Hughes was felled.

Brad Haddin, Nathan Lyon, Shane Watson and David Warner have all found ways to cope in a spirited four-Test series against India.

But Tuesday will be a particularly confronting moment for the quartet, when they play at the SCG for the first time since Hughes's death.

"I'm sure it's in the back of their minds and everyone's minds around Australia. For us we've just got to get on with playing the game as best we can," coach Darren Lehmann said.

"I actually don't know how they'll react, we have to see how we react.

"We've got to have a couple days off now and try to get through that over the next few days."

Australia have donned black armbands throughout the series against India in memory of Hughes.

Blows to the helmet - whether they be at training or during a game - have rattled not only batsmen but the entire Australian team and their support staff.

Watson was dazed by a James Pattinson bouncer that struck his helmet in the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test.

"It probably shook him up a lot more than he would have anticipated," Warner said at the time.

"He was close to Hughesy ... it brought back a bit of a memory for him."

Quick Single: Hughes still front of mind: Warner

Warner added Hughes's death is never far from his thoughts.

"It's going to be in the back of my mind every time I play," he said.

"Every time I sit at home and I'm thinking about nothing but that.

"We've got to keep pushing on. He'd want us to do that."

Smith suggested prior to the Boxing Day Test he thinks of Hughes every time he walks out to bat.