Sydney, October 25, 2025 - After losing the series to Australia, Shubman Gill's Indian side will be looking to salvage some pride in the third and final ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Australia has already clinched the three-match series with victories in Perth and Adelaide. The match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM IST.
The pressure is mounting on Virat Kohli, who has had a string of low scores, including two consecutive international ducks. All eyes will be on Kohli as he attempts to regain his form. This match could potentially be the last time fans see Kohli and Rohit Sharma play on Australian soil, adding extra significance to the game. Both players have retired from Tests and T20Is, making this ODI a potentially nostalgic moment for their fans.
Rohit Sharma showed signs of returning to form with a well-made 73 in the previous ODI. However, it wasn't enough to secure a victory for India, who lost the second ODI by two wickets. India will aim to avoid a series whitewash and end the tour on a positive note.
In team news, there is speculation about whether Kuldeep Yadav will be included in the playing XI after being excluded from the first two matches. There's been criticism regarding his omission, especially since the finger spinners were effective in the second ODI. 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, and either Harshit Rana or Prasidh Krishna, along with Kuldeep Yadav.
Australia has made changes to their squad, keeping an eye on the upcoming Ashes series. Marnus Labuschagne has been replaced by Jack Edwards, and Matthew Kuhnemann has also been included in the squad. Josh Inglis returns to the squad after recovering from a calf strain. The Australian squad includes Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa.
Historically, Australia has dominated India in ODIs, with 86 wins out of 154 matches. India has won 58, and 10 matches ended with no result. India has lost their last three ODIs at the SCG against Australia. Their last victory at the venue was in 2016, when they chased down 331. Rohit Sharma has a strong record at the SCG, scoring 333 runs in five matches, including a century in 2019.
The Sydney Cricket Ground is known for being a batting-friendly surface, although fast bowlers can find assistance with bounce and pace early on. The toss could play a crucial role, as India has lost the last 17 consecutive coin tosses in ODIs.
Fans in India can watch the match live on Star Sports channels and stream it on JioHotstar.
