India faces a do-or-die situation in the third and final ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground this Saturday. Having already lost the first two matches, the Men in Blue are desperate to avoid a humiliating series whitewash and salvage some pride before concluding their tour.
While Rohit Sharma’s resilient 73 and Shreyas Iyer’s composed 61 offered glimmers of hope in the Adelaide loss, a major concern looms over star batter Virat Kohli. For the first time in his impressive ODI career, Kohli has registered back-to-back ducks. Both senior players, potentially playing their last ODI on Australian soil, will be eager to leave a significant mark.
However, the most significant selection debate revolves around whether left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav will finally be given a chance. He has been conspicuously benched for the initial two matches, despite Australia’s Adam Zampa proving the effectiveness of spin by securing four wickets and the Player-of-the-Match award in Adelaide.
Former cricketer Aakash Chopra strongly advocates for Kuldeep’s inclusion, especially considering Sydney’s historical reputation for favoring spin bowlers. “Kuldeep likely to play at Sydney. Perhaps, a slightly spin-friendly surface…could easily come in for a pacer. Given the batting performance in the first two ODIs, I’m not expecting the team to drop a batter for a bowler. Very unlikely,” Chopra stated on X.
India’s combination has appeared somewhat imbalanced without a crucial seam-bowling all-rounder like Hardik Pandya. With talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna waiting patiently, some strategic changes are widely anticipated for this decisive final encounter.
As the top-ranked ODI side, India’s recent losing streak of two matches, following an impressive eight-game winning run, puts stand-in captain Shubman Gill under immense pressure. His decision regarding Kuldeep’s selection could be a pivotal moment, offering both a tactical advantage and a much-needed psychological boost.
Australia, on the other hand, will be bolstered by the return of wicketkeeper Josh Inglis, while Marnus Labuschagne has departed the squad. Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and all-rounder Jack Edwards have been added for the Sydney match. Key performers like Zampa and pacer Xavier Bartlett, who notably dismissed Gill and Kohli in Adelaide, will be instrumental in Australia’s bid for a dominant 3-0 clean sweep at home.
IND vs AUS 3rd ODI: Live Streaming Details
- When: Saturday, October 25
- Time: 9:00 AM IST
- Where: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
- Where to watch: Star Sports Network (live TV broadcast) and JioHotstar (live streaming)
IND vs AUS 3rd ODI: Weather Update
The weather forecast for Saturday in Sydney is perfectly set for a thrilling cricket match, according to Accuweather. Temperatures are predicted to be a comfortable 17°C in the morning, rising to a pleasant 25°C during the day. With the pitch expected to improve under the floodlights, both teams are likely to favor chasing, indicating a proactive approach for a conclusive result.
IND vs AUS 3rd ODI: Predicted XIs
AUSTRALIA predicted XI: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Matt Short, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Mitch Owen, Mitchell Starc/Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
INDIA predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy/Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, Mohammad Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
IND vs AUS: Full Squads
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Prasidh Krishna.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa.
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