New Delhi: The third ODI at the SCG might lack the drama of a decider but there’s still plenty riding on it for India. With Australia sealing the series 2-0 after their two-wicket win in Adelaide, this one’s officially a dead rubber but for a few Indian stars, it’s a chance to make a point before the curtains drop.
The series hasn’t gone India’s way, though the rain-hit opener in Perth offered some valid excuses. The much-hyped return of the “Ro-Ko” duo grabbed headlines but it was Virat Kohli’s second consecutive duck – the first time in his legendary ODI career which has raised eyebrows. Rohit Sharma’s gritty 73 in Adelaide was a reminder of his class, yet questions around the futures of both veterans continue especially with Yashasvi Jaiswal pushing hard to break into the top order.
Kohli will be desperate to flip the script in Sydney, which could also mark his final appearance on Australian soil. However, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla has dismissed reports suggesting it’s his last international outing in India colours.
Meanwhile, the absence of Hardik Pandya has been hard to ignore. India stuck with the same XI for both games and paid the price. The last time they suffered a 3-0 whitewash was against New Zealand in February 2020, a record Men In Blue will want to avoid repeating.
Time for tweaks
With the series lost, a few changes are inevitable in the final showdown. Shubman Gill, captaining his first ODI series, will also be eager to redeem himself and end on a positive note. The SCG pitch is expected to assist spinners, making Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion almost a no-brainer after watching Adam Zampa and Cooper Connolly trouble India in Adelaide.
To fit Kuldeep in, India have two likely options either bench Harshit Rana or drop Nitish Reddy. Rana impressed with the bat but was expensive with the ball and ran out of steam in his final spell. Nitish Reddy, on the other hand, bats too low at No. 8 and hasn’t been used effectively with his medium pace hovering around 126 kmph.
If India want to strike back, they’ll need to back their top order and add genuine wicket-taking options. Pairing Kuldeep with Axar Patel could bring the kind of variation and control India missed earlier. Against an Australian side rejuvenated after the ODI retirements of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, that balance could make all the difference.
India’s predicted XI against Australia in 3rd ODI:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj