5th Test: Captain Bumrah Chooses to Bat After Winning Toss Against Australia
Click to start listening
Sydney, Jan 3 (NationPress) Jasprit Bumrah, leading the Indian squad in the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test, has won the toss and chosen to bat first against Australia at the overcast Sydney Cricket Ground this Friday.
With Australia currently ahead in the five-match series at 2-1, Bumrah remarked after the toss, "Our captain has demonstrated his leadership by opting to rest. This reflects our team unity. We are committed to making decisions that serve the team's best interests." Rohit Sharma has been under scrutiny due to his performance, averaging just six runs in the series.
Bumrah also announced that Shubman Gill and Prasidh Krishna are stepping in for Rohit and the injured Akash Deep in India’s lineup. Prasidh last played a Test against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2024, while Gill is positioned at number three, with KL Rahul opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
"We have showcased some excellent cricket throughout this series. The previous match was quite thrilling, and we aim to deliver a strong performance. The pitch seems to have some grass but doesn't appear overly challenging or spicy. There might be a challenge with the new ball, but once you get through, it should be a good batting surface," he added.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Beau Webster has been granted cap number 469, replacing Mitchell Marsh in the playing eleven. Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, stated, "We also intended to bat, but with the overcast conditions, we hope to swing the ball a bit. The boys have recovered well after a quick turnaround."
Playing XIs
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah (captain), Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Scott Boland
