Australia leads the series 2-1 and must avoid defeat to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014-15. A victory for India and a draw at 2-2 would allow the visitors to retain the trophy for a record fifth consecutive time.
Rohit Sharma was ruled out for the final Test with Jasprit Bumrah taking the reins. Bumrah captained India to their only victory of the series in the first Test in Perth and was 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 of less than 20 (203 at 19.42).
Scoring 3, 6, 10, 3 and 9 at an average of 6.2 for the series, Sharma has had a miserable tour since returning to the team for the second Test after missing out on the team’s first comprehensive victory. India in Perth on paternity leave. .
Sharma was replaced in the Indian batting line-up by the recalled Shubman Gill.
Gill, 25, played well in Adelaide for his ages 31 and 28 before failing in Brisbane and then again in Melbourne.
Prasidh Krishna also comes into the team for seamer Akash Deep, who is suffering from back stiffness after bowling 43 overs in Melbourne.
Australia made one change to their side as they cruised to a dramatic 184-run win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday to take a 2-1 series lead with all-rounder Mitch Marsh dropped for Beau Webster to make his debut in test.
Webster has averaged 57.1 in first-class cricket since March 2022, while also picking up 81 wickets at 31.7 for his Tasmanian State team.
Fast bowler Mitchell Starc was also named despite suffering rib pain during the final days of the Boxing Day Test.
Starc, 34, will line up with captain Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon in Australia’s bowling attack on a green pitch under overcast skies on Friday in Sydney.
A victory for Australia at the SCG would book the team a place in a second consecutive World Test Championship final. Australia beat India in the 2023 final.
South Africa became the first team to qualify for the WTC final at Lord’s in June by winning a dramatic home match against 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.
Australie : Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capitaine), Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
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