Reports: Australia likely to make two changes for the SCG Test

A lot of speculations are being made about Australia’s playing XI for the fourth and final Test against India in Sydney. They are currently lagging in the series by 1-2 and will have to play extremely well to level it and that too against the World Number 1 Test side. It is their batting which is struggling immensely in this series which might lead to the hosts making changes at the top of the order.

Marnus Labuschagne is set to walk back into the line-up after the selectors added him to the squad soon after the loss in Melbourne. He will now bat at number three position while the opener Aaron Finch is set to be dropped after underwhelming performance scoring only 97 runs in six outings so far. There were calls for him to be shifted down the order but the team management is taking a tough call by leaving him out.

All-Rounder Marsh also to be left out

According to reports in The Daily Telegraph, Mitchell Marsh is also set to make way for Peter Handscomb about whom the Aussie skipper spoke highly in the pre-match press conference. The pitch is likely to help the spinners more which helps Handscomb in making a comeback as he is one of the better players of spin and had impressed in India in 2017 as well.

Moreover, Labuschagne will give an extra spin-bowling option and Finch’s inclusion means Usman Khawaja will have to open the innings. This is a huge opportunity for Labuschagne to seal his position and needs to bat well in order to do so.

Meanwhile, Australia has not officially announced its playing XI and Paine insisted that they are very close to finalising the same. They will have one final look at the pitch before taking a call on the match day and it remains to be seen if they will have any surprises in store for their opposition.

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