India vs. Australia : AUSSIES TO MOLD REBOUND || 3rd Test
India vs. Australia 2020-21
3rd Test – Thu, 7th January
Men in Blue’s Bravado:
Succumbing to fine quality Australian bowling line-up, missing out on several key players and to headline-grabbing win at the MCG; given the wounds of Adelaide, Indians have made one of the finest comebacks in the history of Cricket.
This Ajinkya Rahane led the side in the absence of their all-time skipper Virat Kohli showed compassion and character to prove their worth. Every change made to the roster worked wonders in the second test match at MCG. Skipper Rahane showed intent on the course of a match-winning century. He led from the front, and his 112 run innings took the Indian team to a sizeable total.
Debutant Shubman Gill and Mohammad Siraj were classy in their respective roles. They justified their selection with significant contributions. Shubman Gill partnered with senior players to score brilliant 45 and 35 runs in each of the innings. On the contrary, Mohammad Siraj chipped in with crucial wickets at vital stages of the game ending with figures of 5 wickets in his kitty.
Followed by the brilliance of the bowlers, we witnessed total domination over the Aussie batsmen. Bumrah and Ashwin led the roster and bundled the Australian squad to meagre scores. Ravichandran Ashwin continued with this fluent form. All-rounder Jadeja has been the key player for the skipper as his presence allows depth in batting and an extra alternative in bowling.
The return of Rohit Sharma will be a boost for the men in blue. Ans with Umesh Yadav’s absence will provide an opportunity to grab for Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini or T.Natarajan. However, considering the wicket conditions at SCG, extra bounce and pace could play a vital role. Hence, betting tips reckon Navdeep Saini will be the pick to replace Umesh for this upcoming Test.
Possible playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini.
Gutted Aussies:
The hosts, Aussies, will look to come back after a sub-standard show at the MCG. In the meantime, Australia will be lamenting the apathetic form of their batters, primarily star test batsman Steve Smith. They are probable to be boosted by the return of Will Pucovski and David Warner.
The confidence they will take from the second Test is a self-possessed performance from all-rounder Cameron Green. Their foundation will be bolstered by David Warner’s return, who isn’t a 100% fit in return to the Test by his judgment.
But such are the risks that the Australians need their key opening batsman to counter the likes of Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah. Despite the chaos, there remains an irksome uncertainty that Australia’s top order is flaky, predominantly with Steve Smith out of form.
Their all-NSW bowling roster will enjoy playing at Sydney and would be anxious to assist their team in a series-defining victory in the third Test. Starc and Cummins should prove lethal coping to the pitch conditions at SCG.
Possible playing XI: David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood.
The venue, Pitch Report, and Toss Prediction:
The 3rd test match of India’s Australia tour will be played at Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney starting from 7th January. The SCG typically favours the spin bowlers more than the other venues in Australia, and it shouldn’t be any altered for this game.
However, the pace bowlers should get plenty of movement off the wicket, keeping the batters on their toes throughout the game. The batters should feel at ease once they ride the storm primarily, making for an even contest between ball and bat. The average first innings score at this venue is 383; we shall witness a high scoring match on the cards.
Both sides would superlatively want to initially use the situations and bat upon winning the toss. The weather prediction isn’t reassuring in Sydney; however, we will be in for a cracking encounter of Test match cricket at the SCG.
Depleted Aussies To Take Charge:
The hosts seem to be picked, as Australia is at a 1.71. They have not lost consecutive matches on home soil and are likely not to make history. Despite their flaky batting and leaky bowling, they should come back stronger and make full use of the home conditions.
We can be sturdily considering a bet on Aussies making a remarkable comeback. The key is for the team able to chip 20 wickets.
On the contrary, India has lacked with their preps, and there is a curiosity about how many hits they can keep bearing. They are now without the likes of their most experienced bowlers. Thus, the pressure builds on Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin.
The draw is 4.75, whereas India is at 3.95. Considering the pitch conditions wearing out and favouring the spinners, India can then be risked if they bat first.
Sir Jadeja:
Ravindra Jadeja has reasonably justified his inclusion in the Test squad. He carried his limited overs form into the previous game after a break due to injury. He was paired with skipper Rahane in a match-defining partnership on the course of a fine half-century. And also chipped in 3 crucial wickets with the minimal bowling opportunity he received.
With the wicket conditions favouring at SCG, he should get more of the ball and his partner in crime, Ravichandran Ashwin. His bowling statistics, united with his fluent batting, makes him a decent pick with 19 for the man of the match.
Steve Storm Smith:
Steve Smith will be gritty to nod off the first two games’ let-downs and deliver in this crunch game. His standings dropped to number 3 in the ICC Test Rankings, and he will anticipate that his actions will help him recoup his spot.
Smith has been very cautious with his batting early in his stint and has writhed to get off the mark. However, he can’t be kept quiet for long. His bat speaks for his quality and talent. He’s undoubtedly an excellent pick to place bets on at 6.50 for the man of the match.
