Saturday’s game is the third and final game of the series. Australia have won both the first two games which means they could affect a whitewash if they win again.
Australia have won three of their last five games against India.
Despite their back-to-back losses in the series thus far, India remains the number one side in the world. Australia is the second ranked side having passed New Zealand in the latest ratings recalculation.
Veteran Indian batsman Virat Kohli has been dismissed for a duck in both of his innings in the series thus far.
India has four batsmen in the top ten of the ICC ODI batting rankings. There are no Australian batsmen in the top ten, with 11th ranked Travis Head currently their top performer.
India and Australia have been the two most dominant forces in ODI cricket since its inception. Of the 13 World Cups played, eight of them have been won by either India or Australia.
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
India has a very poor record at the SCG – they have played 22 games at the venue and managed just five wins.
Australia meanwhile has a good win percentage at the ground with 91 victories from 136 games – a win percentage of 67%.
This is a venue where batting first is very much the preferred option for skippers winning the toss.
This has happened on 108 occasions compared to the 53 times when they have opted to field first.
The team that bats first at the SCG has won 92 times compared to the chasing side which has won on just 62 occasions.
The highest score recorded at the ground was South Africa’s 408 for five in 50 overs made against the West Indies at the 2015 World Cup. The game saw AB de Villiers smash an undefeated 162 runs from 66 balls.
The highest score successfully chased at the venue was Australia’s 334 for eight in 49.2 overs made against England in 2011.
The lowest score ever made at the venue was by India. They posted a paltry 63 all out back in 1981 as they fell apart against an attack that included Dennis Lillee, Rodney Hogg, Greg Chappell and Len Pascoe.
Weather:
Saturday in Sydney will be mostly cloudy during the day, with periods of sunshine. Temperatures will reach a high of 23 degrees and a low of 17°C overnight. Winds will be light and from the north. There is a low chance of rain throughout the day and night. Overall, it will be a mild and partly cloudy day. The weather should be good enough to ensure a full 100 overs can be bowled.
Form (most recent game first):
Australia: W, W, W, L, L.
India: L, L, W, W, W.
Key player:
Australia, Matthew Short: Still making his way in the international game, Short banged his highest ever ODI score in the second match of the series as he made a useful 74 to top score for the Baggy Greens. With 82 runs to his name from the two games thus far, he is the leading run scorer in the series. Averaging 41 per innings in the series thus far, expect Short to continue his free hitting in the final game of the series.
India, Rohit Sharma: While fellow veteran, Virat Kohli, has struggled in the series thus far, Rohit found form in the second game with a well-made 73 at the top of the order. It wasn’t his most fluent knock, but it was a good return to form from a man who averages 48.69 in ODI’s. Rohit is one of the all-time greats of the ODI game with a high score of 264 and with 32 centuries to his credit. He is getting towards the end of his career, but he is still a very dangerous batsman with the ability to bat through innings and score big.
Verdict: India
It is hard to see India losing again. They are an excellent side and their performances in the series appear to have been on an upward trajectory. They don’t have a great record at the venue but with the series already decided it may well be that Australia struggle to match the intensity they brought to the opening two games of the series. History is on India’s side as well – they have never before been whitewashed in a bilateral series against Australia.
