The highly anticipated third Test of the ongoing five-match series between Australia and India is scheduled to begin on Saturday at the Gabba, Brisbane. With the series currently tied at 1-1 after both teams won a match each, the third Test is expected to be a thrilling contest that could go a long way in determining the winner of the series.
The series has been a fascinating one, with both teams showing resilience and determination. The first Test saw India securing a remarkable 295-run victory, overcoming the challenges to defeat Australia in Perth. India’s impressive performance, particularly with the bowl led by stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah, earned them a hard-fought win and a 1-0 lead in the series.
However, Australia bounced back in the second Test, claiming an emphatic victory. Australia rode on the back of Travis Head and Mitchell Starc's brilliance, who both contributed immensely with bat and ball respectively. Australia’s dominant performance in the second match brought them in level with India, and the series now hangs in the balance heading into the third Test at the iconic Gabba.
India will surely be facing a tough challenge in the third Test, but they come into the match with their heads held high after a fighting performance in Perth. Senior batters Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma have found themselves in the eye of storm with their underwhelming outings as they both look ahead to score big runs. Meanwhile, India will look to make amends for the loss in the second Test.
Heading into the third Test, India might also change their opening combination, bringing in Rohit Sharma in place of KL Rahul to open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. In the second game, India continued with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who both opened the batting in the first Test in the absence of Rohit Sharma, to open the innings for the team but they couldn't live up to the expectations, getting out cheaply. KL Rahul could be asked to bat in the upper-middle order in order to make way for Rohit at the top.
India probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c) Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk) Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood