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Navdeep-Saini
Team India will have to roll in a few changes as they continue the winning run in the third Test against Australia. India and Australia will play the third match of the ongoing four-match series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. The Men in Blue have some challenging selection problems ahead of the critical encounter.
Rohit Sharma is all prepared to make his comeback from injury at the SCG. The batsman is going to replace struggling Mayank Agarwal at the top order. Rohit is going to open the series with Shubman Gill for India. Gill had earlier replaced an out-of-form Prithvi Shaw in the second Test. The youngster has done enough to secure his spot in the playing XI with 45 and 35 not out in both the innings.
Rohit finished his quarantine last week. The Indian team management is impressed by the Hitman's form in the nets. He is also the newly-appointed Test vice-captain. Rohit will be looking to hit the ground running in his first Test after a gap of almost a year.
Hanuma Vihari is going to continue in the middle-order. Vihari has not bowled so far, but he can come in handy with the ball if the team needs him.
Navdeep Saini to replace Umesh Yadav for the 3rd pacer's slot
The management has to decide between Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, and left-arm pacer T Natarajan for the third pacer's slot. Any one of them is likely to replace Umesh Yadav. Saini is mostly going to get the nod ahead of the other two. The pacer has reportedly impressed in the nets. Shardul was ahead of him a few days earlier, but Saini seems to have convinced the team management.
Shardul is a capped Test player and has already made his debut in India's most extended format. On the other hand, Saini will be playing his first Test match. The left-arm pacer, Natarajan has also been added to the Test squad recently but is not likely to play in Sydney. In the absence of Shami, Umesh, the burden will be on Jasprit Bumrah. He has to perform his best while Mohammed Siraj will hope to continue his impressive run after a brilliant debut in the second Test. Siraj returned with five wickets in Melbourne.
India's playing XI for the third Test against Australia:
Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.