🏏Australia vs India, 5th Test: Sydney, 03 - 07 Jan 2025: Day 3🏏

🏏Australia vs India, 5th Test: Sydney, 03 - 07 Jan 2025 @ 5:00 AM IST 🏏

Akash Deep and Marsh out of Sydney showdown

Australia will have another debutant in their XI, while India will make at least one change in their bid to draw the series

SCG showdown to decide Border-Gavaskar Trophy

From that first day, when 17 wickets fell in Perth, there has been intrigue in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Even the game ruined by rain in Brisbane threw up something unexpected - a sudden retirement. Now as a hard fought, highly entertaining series comes to an end, Australia have the chance to cement their legacy - the reigning ODI and Test world champions have one hand on a trophy that has eluded them for 10 years - and India still have the chance to deny them.

There were reports of friction inside India's ranks. The captain Rohit Sharma is so short of runs his place in the team isn't looking so good. The coach Gautam Gambhir did not confirm if the captain would be in the XI, which created a very different feel to India's build-up. Shubman Gill, who was left out at the MCG Test, was one of the first in the nets and Dhruv Jurel, who hasn't played since Perth, was the last to leave. If that's any indication of a change in India's batting line-up, is Rohit going out?

India have been struggling to score first-innings runs - their average of 22.40 is their seventh lowest in a season where they've played at least five Tests - and have had to play catch-up constantly in Australia. Sydney is a place they might enjoy though. The SCG isn't quite the batting paradise it used to be, like when India declared on 705 here in 2003, but it is still offering 34.85 per wicket which is better than any other ground in Australia over the last three years. That could be one of the reasons Australia are bringing in bowling reinforcements. The short turnaround between the Boxing Day and the New Year's Tests is another. Beau Webster will be making his Test debut in place of Mitchell Marsh.

For a while it looked like India might be able to escape the MCG with a draw. Yashasvi Jaiswal once again proved to be India's best batter. At the end of that game, Rohit said the juniors still had a bit to learn about Test cricket, but it seems like they're doing alright. Jaiswal is India's highest scorer of the series. Nitish Kumar Reddy produced their best moment. Akash Deep has won Steven Smith's admiration, but he's out of the Sydney Test with a bad back. India's vulnerabilities lie elsewhere.

Will it rain in Sydney? Latest weather forecast for Australia vs. India fifth Test at the SCG

Australia will be aiming to get their hands on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade when they take on India in the fifth and final Test at the SCG.

The home side claimed a stunning victory in the Boxing Day Test to take a 2-1 advantage into the clash in Sydney, which begins on Friday January 3.

Adverse weather has often marred the games in Sydney with a number of days lost due to rain. In fact, 26 full days of cricket has been washed out in Sydney, according to ABC statistician Ric Finlay.

Friday, January 3: What is the weather forecast for Day 1 in Sydney?

• Rain: 30 per cent chance
• Wind: Light winds turning east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h
• Highest Temperature: 26C

There is a slight chance of a shower early in the day with otherwise cloudy conditions predicted.

Saturday, January 4: What is the weather forecast for Day 2 in Sydney?

• Rain: 5 per cent chance
• Wind: Northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h
• Highest Temperature: 29C

Sunny morning coupled with light winds set the scene for near perfect weather.

Sunday, January 5: What is the weather forecast for Day 3 in Sydney?

• Rain: 5 per cent chance
• Wind: North to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h
• Highest Temperature: 32C

Mostly sunny although there is a small possibility of a thunderstorm developing in the west.

Monday, January 6: What is the weather forecast for Day 4 in Sydney?

• Rain: 30 per cent chance
• Wind: North to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h turning east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h.
• Highest Temperature: 32C

Sunny morning that gives way to a slight chance of a shower later on.

Tuesday, January 7: What is the weather forecast for Day 5 in Sydney?

• Rain: 60 per cent chance
• Wind: South to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h.
• Highest Temperature: 27C

Partly cloudy with a strong possibility of rainfall and a chance of a thunderstorm.

Pitch and conditions: A good cricket wicket

A day out from the Test match, there was a bit of grass on the SCG pitch. The feedback Cummins has received about it from the two Shield games that took place here this season is that it's been a "good cricket wicket", with enough in it for the bowlers, particularly that there's a bit more pace in it. The weather for the start of the Test is expected to be clear, although there is some rain forecast on the final two days.

Australia vs India: Pink Test at Sydney and its significance

The PINK Test

The SCG turns pink during the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar series with World Test Champions Australia taking on the might of India.

Friday 3rd January 2025 - Tuesday 07 January 2025 @ Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)

After the Pink Ball test in Adelaide, once again Australia and India will square off in a pink set-up during the Sydney Test. Every year the New Year Test in Sydney sees the entire ground adorned in Pink – right from the stands to the crowd.

The first time Sydney hosted a Pink Test in 2009 when Australia took on South Africa. Since then, the tradition has continued and once again this year both teams will come together for a cause.

Sydney becomes a sea of pink annually in support of a noble cause in honour of former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath's late wife Jane McGrath. The money raised then goes to the McGrath Foundation.

The McGrath Foundation is a breast cancer support and education charity in Australia. The foundation raises to place McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities across the country and also works towards increasing the awareness about the disease.

The foundation was founded by the Australian pacer and his wife Jane in 2005 after Jane’s recovery from the breast cancer. However, three years later Jane passed away and a year later Pink Test’s tradition was started.

Third day of the Test is called the Jane McGrath day and the money raised goes directly to the foundation. Fans turn up in pink and even the stumps used are pink in colour. In certain cases, even some of the players user pink on their gears to support the cause.

Team news: Webster in; Akash out

Mitchell Starc will play in Sydney while managing a side/rib complaint. Webster, who bats right-handed and bowls both medium pace and offspin, will be the third debutant for Australia in this series after Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas. He was the highest scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season with 938 runs at 58.62 and took 30 wickets at 29.30.

Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Konstas, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Beau Webster, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Nathan Lyon

With Akash ruled out with a stiff back, India will have to rejig their bowling attack, with either Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana set to replace him. There appear to be changes in batting line-up as well with Gill receiving direct attention from Gambhir, who gave him throwdowns. Jurel also seems like a chance to make the XI with Washington Sundar possibly sitting out.

India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt)/Shubman Gill, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 KL Rahul, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Dhruv Jurel, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 9 Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj

In the spotlight: Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins

Will Sydney be the last of Rohit Sharma in Test cricket or is he already done? India's win in Perth came without him. He tried not to upset their momentum by moving himself down to the middle order but then felt that wasn't working well enough. With not enough runs behind him, his on-field decisions backfiring, and India's next Test not until June 2025, by which time Rohit will be 38, it feels like the end of something. He did bat in the nets on Thursday, facing only throwdowns, which is what he did ahead of the Melbourne Test as well.

If this series didn't have Jasprit Bumrah in it, Pat Cummins would be its best bowler. After a wayward start in Perth, he looked pumped in Adelaide, keeping the rich tradition of fast bowlers and their nerve-popping celebrations alive. He was Player of the Match in Melbourne for contributing with the bat as well. A win at his home ground in front of what is expected to be record crowds again to seal a place in the World Test Championship final would be the perfect way to end the season for Cummins.

Stats and trivia

• Steven Smith is 38 short of 10,000 Test runs. He will join Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting as the only Australians to have got to the mark. He'll be the second fastest among them, behind Ponting in 196 innings, if he gets there in Sydney.
• Sydney might be his home ground but Starc's record here is under par: he has 24 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 44.16.
• History isn't on India's side as they look to draw the series. They have won only one out of 13 Tests at the SCG.

Quotes

"If someone had said 40-45 days ago that we would be in this situation, that we can come to Sydney and draw this series, it's a good position to be in."

India coach Gautam Gambhir

"You go into every Test trying to win so no different this week. Really happy with the last three Tests, how the boys have played. We've shown for most that we've been the frontrunner, that's the aim again this week, keep it up."

Australia captain Pat Cummins

Batters to watch(Recent stats)

Travis Head, AUS

10 M • 625 Runs • 36.76 Avg • 83.89 SR

Steven Smith, AUS

10 M • 566 Runs • 35.38 Avg • 48.54 SR

Yashasvi Jaiswal, IND

10 M • 795 Runs • 44.17 Avg • 62.69 SR

Rishabh Pant, IND

9 M • 576 Runs • 36 Avg • 73 SR

Bowlers to watch(Recent stats)

Pat Cummins, AUS

10 M • 47 Wkts • 3.14 Econ • 40.04 SR

Nathan Lyon, AUS

10 M • 37 Wkts • 2.94 Econ • 49.91 SR

Jasprit Bumrah, IND

9 M • 46 Wkts • 2.92 Econ • 33.17 SR

Ravindra Jadeja, IND

8 M • 31 Wkts • 3.29 Econ • 43.09 SR

India and Australia will resume their Border-Gavaskar Trophy rivalry, with Australia having the lead of the series, in the fifth Test that begins on Friday in Sydney. This match will either see Australia secure a spot in World Test Championship final, or give India some hope of securing a spot for the same.

After a rain marred Brisbane Test ended in a draw, both the teams came into Melbourne on Boxing Day, gunning for victory. While India did put a up a fight that could swing the victory their way, Australia held on stronger, and the last day was completely dominated by them. Coming into Sydney, Rohit Sharma and company will be hoping to put up a better batting performance, and hope that India’s spearhead Jasprit Bumrah gets some support from the team.

India need a win in order to have any hopes of qualifying for the WTC final, and hope that Australia do not win any of their matches in Sri Lanka, while all Australia need is a win in their remaining three matches of the cycle.

When: Australia v India, 5th Test, January 3-7, 2025, 10:30 hrs Local Time, 05:00 hrs IST

Where: Sydney Cricket Ground

What to expect: Such is the impact of the weather in Sydney that we are always hooked on the skies above and not so much on the 22 yards below. But reports and forecasts suggest that we might get away with only a late shower, late in the piece. And that the Test match should have progressed quite a bit by the time the seasonal rains arrive. That leaves us with the pitch and it's expected to be the best we've had so far this summer. In terms of how much it'll assist all comers, including the fast bowlers, while being probably the best chance for the batters to cash in. The weekend is expected to be quite warm, and that will add an extra layer of interest to what happens at the toss.