IND vs AUS: Big change in Australia’s playing XI for Sydney Test, star all-rounder will debut
Australian cricket team
IND vs AUS: The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 is being played between India and Australia. 4 test matches of this series have been played and now the last and 5th test will start in Sydney from 3rd January. In such a situation, Australia has announced its playing-11 for the Sydney Test. Australia has included Beau Webster in its playing eleven by dropping all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. Australia captain Pat Cummins made this announcement while speaking to the press on January 2. The 31-year-old Webster will make his Test debut on January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Bad form ruled him out
The decision to drop Mitchell Marsh does not come as a surprise. The 33-year-old all-rounder has scored only 73 runs at an average of 10.42 in seven innings of four Test matches. Interestingly, 47 of these 73 runs came in the second innings of the Perth Test, when the match was out of Australia’s hands. Even in bowling, Marsh could not do anything special. The fast bowling all-rounder took only 3 wickets in the Perth Test but could not take any wicket in the next three Tests. Fitness also became a major reason for Marsh being out of the last Test. He could not provide as much support to Australia’s bowling as was expected.
stark fully fit
The good news for Australia is that captain Pat Cummins has declared Mitchell Starc fit to take the field and hence he will open the bowling for the host team during the fifth Test. Starc felt discomfort in his back during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It seemed difficult for him to play in the last Test but now it is clear that Starc will be a part of the playing eleven of the Sydney Test.
Australia’s playing eleven for the fifth test against India: Sam Constas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
