The final and decisive Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) might face rain interruptions during the last two days, according to Wisden Cricket.
The Test, scheduled to begin on January 3, is the traditional New Year’s match at the SCG.
Weather Forecast for the Test Match
As per Google Weather, the opening day is expected to see thick cloud cover, with a 25% chance of rain, which drops to just 5% on the second day. Day two will likely be bright and sunny, similar to Sunday, with temperatures climbing to the mid-thirties.
Rain could disrupt play towards the end of day four and persist into day five, with consistent drizzle expected. BBC Weather reports that Friday afternoon could also see some showers, but the weekend promises some sunshine. By Monday night, rain chances rise to 68%, and day five could witness heavy showers throughout the day.
Form and Team Updates
India has struggled with inconsistent performances from their key batters. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant have collectively managed only one fifty-plus score in the series so far. Jasprit Bumrah has been a standout with 30 wickets in four matches at an average of 12.83, but the team trails 1-2 in the series.
Australia, leading the series, has its own challenges. Pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out due to a calf injury, and Mitchell Starc underwent scans just two days before the match.
Stakes of the Final Test
Australia is in a strong position to secure a spot in the ICC World Test Championship alongside South Africa. For India, a win in this Test would not only draw the series and retain the trophy but also keep them in contention for the WTC, depending on the outcomes of future matches in the Australia-Sri Lanka series.
Squads
Australia:
Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Travis Head (vc), Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
India:
Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar.
Reserves: Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed, Yash Dayal
This high-stakes final promises thrilling cricket, but the weather may have the final say.
