Perth. Adelaide. Brisbane. Melbourne. These four iconic Australian cities have seen some extraordinary levels of test cricket being played over the past month. And now, it is time for the beautiful city of Sydney, where India and Australia are going to play the fifth and final test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 currently stands at 2-1 in favour of Australia. A loss or draw in the final match of this Ind vs Aus test series would relegate India from the WTC final race, and the men in blue will lose the Border-Gavaskar trophy 2024-25, which would be their first series loss in the last decade. A win in this match would keep them in the race for the WTC final and also help in drawing the Ind vs Aus test series.
The India tour of Australia 2024-25 till now has been sensational. It all started in Perth, where India hammered Australia by 295 runs and made a statement. Post that Ind vs Aus match, it has all been about Australia. The hosts dominated the day-night test in Adelaide and were ahead in the game for the major part in the third Ind vs Aus match. They again thrashed India by a huge margin of 184 runs in the recently concluded fourth test and now have an unbeatable lead in the series.
The fifth Ind vs Aus test match of this India tour of Australia 2024-25 will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 3, 2025. This match will be a do-or-die match for the Indian cricket team if they still want to keep their hopes of playing the WTC final alive. A win or a draw here will most certainly confirm Australia their place in the final, whereas a loss will make things difficult for them.
Ind vs Aus 5th Test – What to Expect
It is a difficult time to be a fan of the Indian cricket team, as the series which India looked to dominate post the test match in Perth, is now on the cusp of losing. As it stands, this series seems like a contest between Australia and Jasprit Bumrah where the man from Gujarat is single-handedly keeping his team alive in the series.
If India is to even have a chance of winning this match, they need to go back to the drawing board and make some tough decisions. It is high time that Rohit Sharma scores runs with the bat and proves his worth in the team. Virat Kohli also needs to leave that outside off-stump ball and convert his starts into a big score.
Jasprit Bumrah has been the lone Indian bowler in this series who has taken wickets time and again, and that needs to change. The team has been overly dependent on Bumrah, and he requires some support from the other end as well to take the team over the line. Mohammed Siraj will have to take more responsibility and be mindful of his lines and lengths.
As for Australia, the form of the openers is a little concerning. Usman Khawaja has almost become a walking wicket against Jasprit Bumrah. Apart from the match in Melbourne, Marnus Labuschagne has also looked out of touch, and he needs to make a big score soon.
Mitchell Starc was lethal only with the pink ball, and it seems he has lost his rhythm since then. He also needs to get back into form because the Indian batters will be looking to score a big total in the forthcoming test match in Sydney. The lack of a proper fifth bowler could hurt Australia in this match, which was the case in the first innings in Melbourne when Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar stitched a fantastic partnership. Remember, a loss here would mean Australia will need to win both tests in Sri Lanka, which would not be easy at all.
Ind vs Aus 5th Test – Predicted Playing 11s
Let us have a look at how the teams could shape themselves ahead of the all-important Sydney test of this India tour of Australia 2024-25.
India
Playing five bowlers plays a major role in taking 20 wickets in a test match, but that seems to be compromising the batting depth of the Indian team. We think Shubman Gill should be back in the team in place of Ravindra Jadeja to provide more batting strength. KL Rahul should go back to open the innings, and Rohit Sharma should continue playing at the number 6 position.
Prasidh Krishna is someone who would enjoy bowling on the Sydney surface and can replace Mohammed Siraj in the team, who needs to assess his form. However, this is unlikely as only one match is left, and the team would not want to make an unnecessary change. The rest of the lineup is expected to be the same apart from any forced changes.
Predicted Playing 11: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, and Mohammed Siraj.
Australia
After giving just three matches to Nathan McSweeney, the Kangaroos made a change at the top of the order and brought in Sam Konstas, who had a fantastic debut match. His confidence and approach were liked by all, and he will continue at the top of the order alongside Usman Khawaja.
The bowling lineup is also expected to be the same, and a change can be only seen in case Mitchell Starc is not fit for the fifth test match. An out-of-the-box addition to the team could be Beau Webster, who can come in the place of Mitchell Marsh and provide more bowling strength to the Australian cricket team.
Predicted Playing 11: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh/Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Scott Boland.
How many tests have Australia won in this series?
The Australian cricket team has beaten the Indian team two times in this series so far. The first match Australia won was the second test in Adelaide, which they won by 10 wickets. The second match they won was the one in Melbourne where the hosts thumped the visitors by an innings and 184 runs. Out of the four matches played so far, Australia leads the series 2-1 with one match left to play.
Is there any chance for India to play the WTC final?
Yes, even after losing the test match in Melbourne, there is still a huge chance for India to play their third consecutive WTC 2025 final. Things seem a little difficult right now, but India is still in the race to play the final match that will take place at Lords next year.
If India wins the New Year’s test in Sydney, which will be their last match of this WTC cycle, they will stay in contention for playing the final against South Africa next year. However, a loss or a draw in the fifth match would relegate India out of the race and make a strong case for Australia.
Currently, India has a points percentage of 52.78%. If they win the fifth test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, their percentage will rise to 55.26% and take them to second place in the standings. They will then hope that Sri Lanka beats Australia by at least a 1-0 margin or both the matches end in a draw, which will confirm India of their berth in the final.
Ind vs Aus 5th Test – Key Players
For India, it is a must-win situation, and they would expect their best player to turn up and take his team over the line. Virat Kohli would have all the eyes upon him, and we expect him to be the key player for the men in blue in this match. All the fans would be hoping that the 82nd century comes in this match for King Kohli.
Travis Head has almost become India’s nemesis, and he will once again hold the aces against India in the fifth test match. If the Indian bowlers manage to get him out early, they will be on the course of winning the match, whereas if Head gets his eyes set on the pitch, India will be on the field for a long time.
What are the odds of India vs Australia test?
The odds for India to win the final test match are 2.5 on GUGOBET, whereas for GUGOBET betting odds on Australia are 1.50.
With plenty of action expected on the field, be sure to stay ahead with GUGOBET’s expert predictions and the best odds. Sign up now on GUGOBET for a 100% Welcome Bonus and start betting on this thrilling contest and many more!
