Ind vs Aus LIVE Score, India vs Australia 3rd Test, Day 1: Australia won the toss and asked Ajinkya Rahane and boys to bowl first in the third Test at Sydney Cricket Ground. Bowling is key in SCG, especially initially as India set sight to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a win at Sydney Cricket Ground against Australia. The Sydney curator had confirmed that there will be an extra amount of grass and the lack of sun would mean there will be some extra bounce. Probably the reason why India opted Navdeep Saini ahead of Shardul Thakur and T Natarajan.
Saini is making his Test debut. Another change India has made in its playing XI is Rohit Sharma who has replaced Mayank Agarwal in the opening slot.
Australia, on the other hand, brought in David Warner, who is returning to the side after a groin injury and Will Pucovski.
Meanwhile, the forecast for the Test has improved drastically in the last two days and we might well end up with some rain interruptions only on the opening day.
Ind vs Aus LIVE SCORE, India vs Australia 3rd Test, Day 1 Live Score
5:37: Well, well! The players are running off the field as a shower has arrived from nowhere. There was rain predicted some time in the day but not so early. The hessian is being put on the playing surface. It has gotten a bit heavier.
5:30: 5th over: Australia 11-1 (Pucovski 4, Labuschagne 2) Bumrah to Pucovski again, defending on the off stump, but playing through midwicket when Bumrah bowls straighter. The bowler thinks for a second that he’s going to nail the front pad in front of middle stump, but Pucovski gets bat on it.
5:18: Siraj to Warner, out Caught by Pujara!!
India have their early wicket. This is a huge one. As a returning David Warner departs for a low score. Finger on the lip celebration from Siraj. Not sure who it was intended to. Very similar delivery to the previous one which Warner missed.
5:15: 2nd over: Australia 5-0 (Pucovski 1, Warner 4) Mohammed Siraj with the new ball to partner Bumrah, and Warner gets on with things straight away! Punches off the back foot out through the covers for two runs. That makes Siraj err onto the pads and Warner glances another run. Comfortable start for him. Siraj is getting swing as well. Pucovski gets his first run in Test cricket with a nudge off his legs.
5:10: 1st over: Australia 0-0 (Pucovski 0, Warner 0) Will Pucovski gets to face the first delivery and get his work underway right from the start. Bumrah has a false start with his run-up, then a rusty start with a very wide ball swinging away. He gets back on target from then on, letting Pucovski get bat on ball in defence for the first time. There is outswing for Bumrah, noticeably. Pucovski defends a few with soft hands, then receives his first short ball and shapes to play but doesn’t get it.
5:00: The two teams line-up for the national anthem. First it will be India’s “Jana Gana Mana” followed by Australia’s “Advance Australia Fair”. Remember this is known as the Pink Test and sponsor logos on Australia’s team jersey is all pink. The new opening pair – David Warner and Will Pucovski – are out in the middle.
Stat:
Cameron Green (21y 197d) & Will Pucovski (22y 339d) – two debutants aged under 23 making debut in the same series for Australia
Last pair to do so in the same series was Mitchell Starc (21y 305d) & James Pattinson (21y 212d) against New Zealand in 2011/12
4:46: Not a bad toss to lose for India. Generally Sydney is a batting paradise, so it’s better to extract whatever there is in the fresh pitch and try to get some early wickets.
4:35: Australia have won the toss and have opted to bat
Australia (Playing XI): 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): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini
4:32: Two debutants coming in the game today
Navdeep Saini:
Congratulations @navdeepsaini96. He realises his dream of playing Test cricket for #TeamIndia today. A proud holder of 🧢 299 and he receives it from @Jaspritbumrah93. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/zxa5LGJEen
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 6, 2021
Will Pucovski:
Will Pucovski will make his Test debut at the SCG 👏https://t.co/J4kNvEX4wo #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/8pbs53O1BM
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 6, 2021
4:16: Team News:
Australia: Will Pucovski has been handed the baggy green. It means David Warner and Pucovski will open for the Aussies. It is now interesting who amongst Mathew Wade and Travis Head play.
India: The visitors have already announced their playing XI. Rohit Sharma returns to the side and will take up Mayank Agarwal’s place, Navdeep Saini will become the 299th Test player for India as he replaces an injured Umesh Yadav.
4:10: Hello and good morning. SCG is all set to host the third Test with the scoreline reading 1-1. All the talk leading up to this encounter have been non-cricket related. There was the bio-bubble breach from some of the Indian players and the management also raised a concern on whether or not to play the fourth Test at Brisbane. For a series that has been played in the right spirit, a little too right, things are starting to “boil under the surface”, at least that’s how the Australian skipper feels.