IND vs AUS: India Announce Playing XI For Sydney Test, Navdeep Saini All Set to Make Debut

The Indian team management has announced India’s playing 11 for the upcoming New Year’s Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared the entire Indian line-up on their social media accounts on Wednesday, January 6. 

28-year-old Navdeep Saini has been named in India playing XI for the third test. The pacer is set become the third India cricketer to make his Test debut in the ongoing series against Australia. Earlier, Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill made their Test debut in the Boxing Day Test at MCG. 

NEWS – #TeamIndia announce Playing XI for the 3rd Test against Australia at the SCG.

Navdeep Saini is all set to make his debut.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/lCZNGda8UD

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 6, 2021

As predicted, team India veteran opener Rohit Sharma will be replacing out-of-form batsman Mayank Agarwal at the top. Sharma, who was recently appointed as India’s vice-captain in the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli, will be opening the innings alongside Shubman Gill. 

Stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that Rohit Sharma has been batting really well in the nets and he would be seen batting at the top of the innings in the Pink Test.

“He [Rohit] has been batting really well, the last couple of series, he has been playing as an opener, so you will definitely see him batting at the top,” said Rahane.

India has decided to go with the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who shared a total of 8 wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which India won by 8 wickets.

Team India Playing XI For 3rd Test At SCG

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