AUS vs IND: Navdeep Saini To Debut, Rohit Sharma Back as India Announce Playing XI For 3rd Test vs Australia in Sydney

Right-arm pacer Navdeep Saini will make his Test debut while Rohit Sharma is set to play his first red-ball game for India in over a year.

India have announced their playing XI for the third Test against Australia to be played in Sydney from Thursday. Right-arm pacer Navdeep Saini will make his Test debut while Rohit Sharma is set to play his first red-ball game for India in over a year.

The much anticipated return of Rohit, who has been a revelation since being promoted to open innings in Test, will certainly boost the touring party that drew level at one-all in Melbourne after losing the series opener in Adelaide.

Rohit has been included in place of Mayank Agarwal who has been dropped after struggling in the first two Tests.

“We are excited to have Rohit back, he is batting really well in the nets. Rohit will bat at the top of the order,” India captain Ajinkya Rahane said during a press conference on Wednesday.

There was a three-way battle between Saini, Shardul Thakur and new-comer T Natarajan for the third pacer’s slot which became available after Umesh Yadav was ruled out of the remainder of the tour owing to an injury sustained during the second Test.

On expected lines, Saini has made the cut who has so far represented India in seven ODIs and 10 T20Is since his international debut in August 2019.

Saini has played 46 first-class matches in which he has taken 128 wickets at 28.46 including four five-wicket hauls.

Apart from the two changes, the remaining of the playing XI remains the same.

Meanwhile, Rahane said India have prepared plans against the returning David Warner who missed the opening two matches as he was recovering from a groin injury. “David Warner is a quality player and we respect him, and we have plans (for him),” he said.

India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj