India vs Australia third Test Day 1 live score: Australia opted to bat first after winning the toss in the third Test against India. Bio-bubble breach investigations, reports of India’s unwillingness to travel to Brisbane if stricter quarantine rules are forced on them, former Australian cricketers and media throwing jibes, we’ve havd everything that could spice-up the proceedings in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Both India and Australia have landed a punch each and just like the third day – the moving day of a Test – this third Test at Sydney has all the ingredients to be the decisive one of the four-match series. Rohit Sharma returns to the playing XI for India, young Navdeep Saini makes his debut. Australia, on the other hand, will have a new opening pair with David Warner and Will Puvocski both regaining fitness and playing.

Follow India vs Australia live scorecard Day 1 3rd Test in Sydney:

The players out in the middle

David Warner and Will Pucovski have walked out to bat for Australia. Looks like Pucovski will take the strike. Jasprit Bumrah has the new ball in hand for India. We are all set for live action.

The n numbers to keep an eye on in the Sydney Test

This is the 1st instance since 1989 when India’s Test captain (Ajinkya Rahane) and vice-captain (Rohit Sharma) are both from Mumbai Ranji Team.

– India have won only one Test at SCG out of the 12 Tests played here, they have lost 5 and drawn 6. The only win came in 1978

– Nathan Lyon needs 6 wickets to complete 400 Test wickets, he will be the 3rd AUS to reach this landmark after Shane Warne 708 and Glenn McGrath 563.

– C Pujara needs 97 runs to complete 6000 Test runs, he will be the 11th IND to reach this landmark and 5th quickest IND in terms of innings batted after S Gavaskar -117, V Kohli -119, S Tendulkar -120 and Rahul Dravid -125

The teams line-up for the anthems

India and Australia have lined up for their respective national anthems starting with the visitors’ one first then followed by Australia’s.

Warner and Pucovski will be up against Bumrah

Australia have a new opening pair of David Warner and debutant Will Pucovski. They will up against Jasprit Bumrah, who is most experienced seamer in the Indian attack with 16 Test caps. The other two – Mohammed Siraj (2nd Test) and Navdeep Saini (debut) – are newcomers.

The pink Test

This is also the Pink Test for the Jane McGrath foundation – wife of Glenn McGrath – to spread awareness about breast cancer. India legend Sachin Tendulkar donated his 200th Test shirt to the McGrath foundation for charity.

Big moment for young Navdeep Saini

Third debutant – second fast bowler – for India in two Test matches. This time the privileged man is young right-arm fast bowler Navdeep Saini. He got his Test cap from India’s spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.

 

Australia Playing for 3rd Test

David Warner, Will Pucovski, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine(w/c), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

India Playing XI for 3rd Test

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini

CONFIRMED: Warner in and Pucovski makes his debut

Tim Paine has confirmed that David Warner and Will Pucovski will open the batting for Australia today. What a moment for young Pucovski who got his Baggy Green just a while ago.

India vs Australia 3rd Test: Toss update

Australia captain Tim Paine has won the toss and he has no hesitation in opting to bat first at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

 

India vs Australia live score, 3rd Test Day 1 pitch

‘Even covering of grass and hard but if you win the toss, you are likely to bat’: Here’s the pitch at SCG for the Indua-Australia third Test

 

New opening pair for Australia?

There might be a couple of changes in the Australian rank too. Both openers David Warner and Will Pucovski have regained fitness and they are set to open the batting in the third Test against India. Warner’s inclusion is significant while Pucovski is set to receive his Test cap.

Rohit Sharma and Navdeep Saini in

If there was news off the field in the first few days of the New Year, there was plenty of it from the field too with India announcing their playing XI on the eve of the Ind vs Aus 3rd Test. Rohit Sharma has returned to the Test XI and Navdeep Saini will make his debut today. Rohit came in for Mayank Agarwal while Saini replaced an injured Umesh Yadav.

Lot of chatter

As if the series being locked at 1-1 wasn’t enough to bring the best the best out of both India and Australia. The rapidly escalating developments in the New Year have given this India vs Australia third Test at Sydney a different colour. Australia captain Tim Paine agreed that there is some ‘tension’ and ‘uncertainty’ after some ‘unnamed sources’ said talked about India’s unwillingness to travel to Brisbane almost after five of their players were being investigated for a possible bio-bubble breach. India stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane, however, has said they are not at all ‘annoyed’ and are focused on the job in hand.

India vs Australia 3rd Test Day 1 live score

Boy does it feel great to once again wake up way before sunrise in India and write about India-Australia Test cricket. Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Ind vs Aus third Test Day 1 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The series is locked at 1-1 after Australia won in Adelaide and India staged a stunning comeback in Melbourne.

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