India vs Australia: Why winning the toss in Sydney Test is good news for Virat Kohli & Co

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Updated: Jan 03, 2019 05:14 IST

India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and chose to bat first on the first day of the fourth and final test against Australia on Thursday.

India hold a 2-1 lead and just need to avoid defeat over the next five days at the Sydney Cricket Ground to take a first series victory in Australia.

READ: India vs Australia Live Cricket Score 4th Test Day 1 in Sydney

This was the second consecutive toss that Virat Kohli has won and it was also the third toss that the India skipper won in the series. This is the 4th time that India have won the toss 3 times in a Test series in Australia. (2003-2004, 91-92, 67-68 were the other 3 series that India had won 3 tosses).

This was also the 19th consecutive time India opted to bat first after winning the toss & the visitors have won 17 out their last such 18 Tests after winning the toss and bat first.

On the other hand, Australia captain Tim Paine lost yet another toss and the wicketkeeper batsman has now lost 6 tosses out the 7 matches.

Mayank Agarwal opens the batting with KL Rahul, with Hanuma Vihari dropping down to number six to cover for Rohit Sharma, who is unavailable after his wife gave birth.

First-choice spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was declared not fit, with wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the side to play alongside finger-spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

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Australia axed underperforming opener Aaron Finch with Usman Khawaja moved up from number three and middle-order batsman Peter Handscomb recalled to counter what is expected to be a turning Sydney Cricket Ground wicket.

In a surprise, leg-spinning all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne has been called into the side and will bat at three. Mitch Marsh was also dropped.

Australia - Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Peter Handscomb, Tim Paine (captain), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India - Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

(With agency inputs)