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Australia vs India 2020 - 21 3rd Test Match Preview
Australia India 2020 - 21 3rd Test Match is
going to be the all-important match to be played at Sydney Cricket
Ground (SCG) will commence tomorrow on Thursday. India, surrendering to
Australia with the most disgraceful innings total of 36 runs, had magnificently
bounced back in Melbourne under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, trouncing
Australia by eight wickets to level the four-Test series 1-1. Naturally, a
covetous victory at SCG will give the lead to the winner.
The woe continues in visitor’s camp, also before Australia vs India 3rd Test Match begins. Umesh Yadav, one of the key men in Indian bowling attacks has been ruled out due to calf strain and K.L Rahul is also out o the 3rd Test due to wrist injury. However, Rahul’s absence has been fulfilled as the crafty Rohit Sharma is back in the squad who was suffering from a hamstring injury. Umesh Yadav is likely to be replaced by either K. Natarajan or Shardul Thakur although Natarajan's chances of making his debut in the 3rd Test seem to be bright. So, Indian bowling at SCG seems to be dependant mainly on Jasprit Bumrah and R. Ashwin though Mohammad Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja are also expected to offer able assistance to Bumrah and Ashwin.
On the other hand, Australia is eagerly awaiting the
return of David Warner, one of the devastating batsmen in the world of cricket.
The left-hand batsman has not played against India since 2017 at Dharmshala. He
was facing suspension for the whole 2018-19 series, added by a groin injury
this year. According to Australian team management Warner is 'very' likely to take
part in Sydney Test which means Warner will be brought back in the playing
eleven even if he does not become a hundred percent fit. The reason is Warner's
amazing average of 65.94 with the bat in Australia while he amassed stunning
786 runs at a stunning average of 131 in the last summer. The anxiety for
Australia lies in Steve Smith's failure in Melbourne as one of the best batsmen
in the world in present-day cricket scored a century against India last at
Dharmashala in 2017.
In a bid to obtain a steady batsman or an
all-rounder the Australian selectors have experimented with 13 batsmen or the
all-rounders in the last six Tests against India. But except for Marcus Harris
who struck 79 at Sydney in 2019 none of the batsmen was impressive. Only Harris
(36.85 average) and Labuschagne (average 33.40) have been noticed for their
averages of more than 30. So, along with Harris, Will Pucovski is also expected
to earn a place in the playing eleven at Sydney, replacing Burns who is totally
out of form. However, Australian bowling will, as usual, be lethal due to
mainly Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon.
Incidentally, with both the teams arriving at Sydney
on Monday from Melbourne, Nathan Lyon has made a verbal appeal to Cricket
Australia to finish the ongoing four-Test series at Sydney. The appeal was made
by the Australian spinner after the visitors have refused to play the fourth
Test at Brisbane due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has already come
back at the Northern Beaches.
But finally, in development, it has been learnt that the fourth Test, scheduled to be held in Brisbane, is likely to take place at SCG as India had refused to accept the isolation phase in Queensland. It has been learnt that Indian team management has made the statement that the players do not want to get the treatment as it is done with the animals in a zoo. This happened after Cricket Australia’s medical team’s instruction to the Indian cricketer not to leave their respective floors in Brisbane. It also has been reported in Australian media that Australia vs India 3rd Test cannot be watched by maximum of 12 thousand fans as 25 percent of the total capacity of the SCG stadium is likely to be allowed to watch the Test physically.
