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Akash Deep and Marsh Miss Out on Sydney Match
Akash Deep and Marsh Miss Out on Sydney Match
Akash Deep won't play the SCG Test because of a back niggle.
Since the time of the Gavaskar Trophy when 17 wickets fell, this Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been filled with excitement. Even the rain-hit match in Brisbane brought an unexpected surprise - a sudden retirement. Now, as this tough and entertaining series comes to a close, Australia has the opportunity to secure its place in history. The current ODI and Test world champions are close to winning a trophy that has slipped away from them for 10 years, while India still has a chance to stop them.
There have been rumours of tension within the Indian team. Captain Rohit Sharma has not been scoring many runs, putting his spot on the team in doubt. Coach Gautam Gambhir seems to be losing patience as well. India has been having a hard time making enough runs in their first innings, averaging just 22.40, one of their lowest in a season with at least five Tests, forcing them to always play catch-up in Australia.
Sydney could be a place they would enjoy. The SCG isn't as great for batting as it used to be—remember when India declared at 705 runs back in 2003? Still, it offers 34.85 runs per wicket, which is better than any other ground in Australia over the last three years. This might be one reason Australia is bringing in extra bowlers. The quick gap between the Boxing Day and New Year's Tests is another reason. Beau Webster will be playing his first Test in place of Mitchell Marsh.
For a while, it seemed like India might leave the MCG with a draw. Yashasvi Jaiswal proved to be India's best batter yet again. After the game, Rohit mentioned that the younger players still have some things to learn about Test cricket, but it looks like they are doing well. Jaiswal is the top scorer for India in the series. Nitish Kumar Reddy created their best moment. Akash Deep has caught Steven Smith's attention, but he won’t play in the Sydney Test due to a bad back. India has other weaknesses to worry about.
Spotlights Are on: Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins
Is Sydney going to be Rohit Sharma's last Test match? India managed to win in Perth without him. He tried to contribute by batting in the middle order, but that didn’t work out well. With not enough runs on the board, his decisions on the field didn’t go as expected. Since India’s next Test match isn’t until June 2025, by which time Rohit will be 38, it seems like it might be the end of his career in this format.
If Jasprit Bumrah weren’t part of this series, Pat Cummins would be the top bowler. After a rough start in Perth, he looked very focused in Adelaide and kept up the fun celebrations that fast bowlers are known for. He also won Player of the Match in Melbourne for his batting. A win at his home ground, especially with a big crowd expected, would be a great way for Cummins to end the season and secure a place in the World Test Championship final.
Team news: Webster in; Akash out
Mitchell Starc will play in Sydney while dealing with a side and rib issue. Beau Webster, who bats right-handed and bowls both medium pace and off-spin, will be Australia’s third debutant in this series after Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas. Last season, he was the top scorer in the Sheffield Shield with 938 runs at an average of 58.62 and took 30 wickets at an average of 29.30.
Australia (probable): Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon
Mohammed Siraj appeared to perform better when he came in as the first change bowler after Bumrah and Akash Deep had created some pressure with the new ball. Since Akash is out due to a stiff back, India will need to adjust their bowling lineup, likely bringing in either Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana to take his place.
India (probable): Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
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