India vs Australia 5th Test: Team India faces Rohit conundrum in decider

India’s Rohit Sharma (L) chats with a teammate Jasprit Bumrah throughout a apply session forward of the fifth cricket Check match between Australia and India on the Sydney Cricket Floor in Sydney on January 2, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: AFP

A brand new 12 months with its tidings of hope is the overwhelming theme at any time when January chimes in. It’s no totally different this time round, particularly for India, because it faces the problem of altering the script within the present Border-Gavaskar Trophy collection.

Trailing 1-2, the fifth and closing Check commencing on the Sydney Cricket Floor (SCG) on Friday (January 3, 2024), presents India with a possibility for redemption. Successful at Perth, dropping in Adelaide, a weather-assisted attract Brisbane, and a loss in Melbourne, have constituted the report card of Rohit Sharma’s males.

On the SCG with its historical past weaved round runs and spin, any Asian group ought to really feel optimistic. India isn’t any totally different although its efficiency right here over the a long time reads as one win, seven attracts and 5 losses.

That is the bottom through which Ravi Shastri scored a 206 in 1992, a Check through which Shane Warne made his debut. This is similar turf the place Sachin Tendulkar posted a 241 in 2004, a knock through which he reduce out the cover-drive, a shot that had develop into his tragic-flaw. Maybe the final bit affords a lesson to Virat Kohli, who has been fishing exterior the off-stump.

India will miss Akash Deep because the speedster is coping with a again damage. Nevertheless, the larger fear is about Rohit. As a captain, his identify could be the primary one pencilled into the enjoying eleven. However with coach Gautam Gambhir not being specific about whether or not the out-of-form skipper will discover a berth, that previous Indian cricket imagery of smoke and daggers is in vogue.

It’s the very last thing anybody wants forward of a significant face-off. If India does handle to defeat Australia and draw stage at 2-2, by advantage of being the defending champion, the guests would retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

It’s crucial that the batters collectively hearth. Ok.L. Rahul’s runs, Nitish Kumar’s consistency, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s promise and the lower-order’s fire-fighting have typically rescued India. The others need to contribute too and Shubman Gill, benched at Melbourne, may get a look-in.

On the bowling entrance, Jasprit Bumrah, who may lead if Rohit is dropped, has been distinctive. It stays to be seen if the think-tank would like Prasidh Krishna because the third seamer and keep on with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar as the 2 spinners.

Throughout the dividing line, Australia made one change with Beau Webster changing Mitchell Marsh. If it is a full-stop for the latter, it may very well be a mirror reflection of the destiny that affected his father Geoff Marsh. The previous opener watched his Check profession grind to a halt following a lukewarm present towards the visiting Indians within the 1991-92 collection.

For Pat Cummins, most of his batters have slowly gained type even when they appear weak towards Bumrah. The Australian skipper and speedster has led from the entrance and it’s one important trick that Rohit missed on this collection. If he does impact a turnaround, sport’s newest miracle could be upon us. For now, it appears distant.

The groups (from)

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ok.L. Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna and Tanush Kotian.

Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Travis Head (vice-captain), Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey (wicket-keeper), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Sean Abbott, Jhye Richardson and Beau Webster.

Match officers: Umpires: Michael Gough and Sharfuddoula; Third umpire: Joel Wilson; Match referee: Andy Pycroft.

Match begins at 5 a.m. IST.