- The India-Australia Test series has reached a decisive stage as the attention shifts to the third Test match scheduled to commence at the historic venue of Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) from 07th January 2021. Team India finds itself in an advantageous position courtesy of unbelievable historic performance in the second Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) overcoming the battering they received at the hands of the marauding Aussie bowlers at the Adelaide. When it was being condescendingly mentioned that the Indian team will be rolled over in the remainder of the series, the stupendous turnaround at the MCG has decisively altered the equations slightly in favor of the visitors.
PC: Tim Terry
- Much water has flowed under the bridge since then and there are few interesting happenings reported, mostly off the field occurrences, where an alleged breach of strict bio-bubble protocols was reported involving five Indian cricketers, including the newly arrived and crowned as Vice-Captain, Rohit Sharma. Reports also started making rounds about the Indian team’s reluctance to undergo further stringent quarantine requirements in Brisbane as per the local administration’s specifications. Subsequent RT-PCR tests carried out on all the Indian players have come out negative and the inquiry on the alleged breach is underway.
- The arrival of both teams to Sydney will help shift the focus on the game rightly and the cricket fans would be licking their fingers in anticipation of no less than a mouth-watering contest between the highly talented bunch of cricketers vying to stay alive or freeze the series. Team India needs to win the contest to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as does the Aussies, who will desperately stretch all their sinews to ensure they stay alive in the series by going two-up. Looking from a truly cricketing angle, Team India holds a certain edge carrying the winning momentum as also the psychological advantage of besting the Aussies most comprehensively last fortnight.
PC: CricketCountry Staff
- Another advantage Team India should enjoy in Sydney is of all the cricket venues in Australia, the SCG is traditionally considered as flat deck favoring the spinners a bit more than other locations. Interestingly, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the joint highest wicket-taker alongside Pat Cummins, and he is expected to play a significant role in furthering the interests of the team. Note that he has had an upper hand in snaring the Aussie batting superstar Steve Smith for single digits twice already and would be itching to better two more times thereby invariably hurting the backbone of the hosts to post big scores. This template has served the Aussies well over the years.
- Team India will be bolstered by the presence of hitman Rohit Sharma anticipated to strengthen the batting lineup alongside Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara to score the bulk of the runs providing enough cushion for the bowlers to unleash their magic. Though it may sound cliched to mention – may the best team win – cricket fans in India would he fervently hoping they will go all the distance to emerge victoriously. Cannot wait to watch the first ball being bowled!
