Sydney, October 25, 2025 - All eyes are set on Virat Kohli as India faces Australia in the 3rd and final ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Australia has already clinched the series with victories in the first two matches, leaving India to play for pride and avoid a series whitewash.
The spotlight is firmly on Virat Kohli, who has had a disappointing run in the series so far, registering consecutive ducks for the first time in his international career. Fans and cricket pundits alike are eager to see the veteran batsman bounce back and find his form in this final match.
Kohli's ODI record against Australia is impressive, with 2,451 runs in 50 matches, averaging 54.46 with a strike rate of 93.69. He has scored eight centuries against the Aussies, with a highest score of 123. However, his recent performances in this series have been a cause for concern.
At the Sydney Cricket Ground, Kohli has played 7 ODIs, scoring 146 runs with an average of 24.33. His highest score at this venue is 89, which he achieved in November 2020. The team will be hoping that Kohli can replicate his past performances and contribute significantly to India'stotal.
Apart from Kohli, Rohit Sharma's form is also crucial for India. In the previous match, Sharma scored a well-made 73, indicating a return to form. With both Kohli and Sharma only playing ODIs now after retiring from other formats, this could be the last time fans see them playing on Australian soil.
India will aim to disrupt Australia's stellar ODI record at the SCG, where the hosts have won 16 matches and lost only twice, with one no-result. The predicted XI includes Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna/Harshit Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav.
In the bowling department, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh are expected to lead the attack, with a possible change between Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna. Kuldeep Yadav might replace Washington Sundar to strengthen the spin options.
Australia, having already secured the series, might shuffle their pace attack, with Josh Inglis potentially joining the squad. Marnus Labuschagne has been released to play for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield fixture, while Matthew Kuhnemann has been recalled.
As India looks to avoid a series whitewash, the focus will be on Virat Kohli to see if he can regain his form and lead the team to a morale-boosting victory. The match is set to begin at 9:00 AM IST.
