Fri Jan 03 06:17:58 UTC 2025: ## India Faces Must-Win Situation in Sydney Test Against Australia

**Sydney, Australia** – Team India faces a crucial battle for redemption as they take on Australia in the fifth and final Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground, starting January 3rd. Australia currently leads the series 3-1 after a dominant victory in Melbourne, where India were bowled out for a paltry 155 while chasing 340 runs. Only Yashasvi Jaiswal (84) and Rishabh Pant (30) offered significant resistance.

The Sydney Test is a must-win for India if they hope to retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy and stay in contention for the World Test Championship final. South Africa has already secured their place, and Australia currently sits second in the WTC standings. A series loss for India would leave Australia needing only one win against Sri Lanka in their upcoming two-match Test series to secure a spot in the WTC final.

Pressure mounts on Indian captain Rohit Sharma and veteran Virat Kohli, whose recent performances have drawn criticism. The pair will be eager to regain form and help India level the series. Changes to India’s batting order are anticipated.

The weather forecast for the Sydney Test predicts clear skies for the first four days, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 31 degrees Celsius and windy conditions. Day four may see overcast skies and increased humidity, with temperatures potentially reaching 34 degrees Celsius during the final two days. Rain could potentially disrupt the final day’s play.

**Full Squads:**

**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.

**Australia:** Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Nathan McSweeney, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.

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