Australia lead the series 2-1 and must avoid defeat to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15. A win by India and a drawn series at 2-2 would allow the visitors to retain the trophy for a record-extending fifth consecutive time.
Rohit Sharma was dropped for the final Test with Jasprit Bumrah taking the reins. Bumrah was India’s captain for its lone victory of the series at the first Test in Perth and has been the standout player of the series with 30 victims at an average of 12.83.
The 44-Test capped seamer is the only player in test history with at least 200 wickets and a bowling average under 20 (203 at 19.42).
With scores of 3, 6, 10, 3 and 9 at an average of 6.2 for the series, Sharma has had a wretched tour since coming back into the side for the second Test after he missed India’s comprehensive first test win in Perth on paternity leave.
Sharma was replaced in India’s batting lineup by the recalled Shubman Gill.
The 25-year-old Gill played well in Adelaide for his 31 and 28 before missing out in Brisbane and then again in Melbourne.
Prasidh Krishna also comes into the side for seamer Akash Deep, who is out with back stiffness after bowling 43 overs in Melbourne.
Australia made one change to its team that clinched a dramatic 184-run win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday to take a 2-1 series lead with allrounder Mitch Marsh dropped for Beau Webster to make a test debut.
Webster has averaged 57.1 in first-class cricket since March 2022, while also picking up 81 wickets at 31.7 for his Tasmania state team.
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc was also named despite dealing with rib soreness during the final days of the Boxing Day Test.
The 34-year-old Starc will line up with captain Pat Cummins, Scott Boland, and Nathan Lyon in Australia’s bowling attack on a green-looking pitch under overcast skies Friday in Sydney.
A win for Australia at the SCG would book the team’s spot in a second straight World Test Championship final. Australia beat India in the 2023 decider.
South Africa became the first team to qualify for the WTC final at Lord’s in June by winning a dramatic match at home to Pakistan last weekend.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
Australia: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
