IND vs AUS: Australian Cricket Team playing 11 for 5th test against India, Sydney, BGT 2024-25 – Predicted

Australia lead the IND vs AUS test series 2-1 with one test match left.

After suffering an embarrassing defeat by 295 runs in Perth, the Australian cricket team have dominated the BGT 2024-25 emphatically.

They have rallied together admirably to take a 2-1 series lead with one test to go; if not for the rain in Brisbane, the scoreline could have been 3-1 in favor of the hosts.

While Australia have an unassailable lead, they are desperate to win a test series against India, something they haven’t done since the 2014/15 home series, and claim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Further, a win in the fifth test in Sydney would also seal their spot in the ICC WTC 2023-25 final before they head to Sri Lanka for a two-test series.

While their playing XI is settled right now, there is a prospect of one or two changes to their line-up for the fifth IND vs AUS test for different reasons.

IND vs AUS: Australian Cricket Team predicted playing 11 for 5th test in Sydney

1. Sam Konstas

19-year-old Sam Konstas had one of the most memorable debut for an Australian test batsman as he smashed 60 runs off 65 balls in the first session at the MCG.

The standout part of his innings was his fearless takedown of Jasprit Bumrah, whom he audaciously scooped and reverse-scooped. Konstas charged up the crowd throughout the test match, having already rattled the likes of Kohli and Siraj earlier during his blitz.

Konstas provided the differential factor in Australia’s top-order, the reason for which Australia had dropped Nathan McSweeney. While Bumrah bowled him in the second innings, an exciting contest awaits in Sydney.

2. Usman Khawaja

After poor returns in the first three tests, Usman Khawaja registered his first half-century of the series in Melbourne. Konstas’ fiery start allowed Khawaja to breathe easy and score 57 crucial first-innings runs.

Khawaja has an outstanding record in Sydney: 832 runs in 12 innings at an average of 104 with four centuries and one fifty. His highest test score of 195* also came at this venue in 2023 against South Africa.

3. Marnus Labuschange

Labuschagne was another Australian batsman who was under the pump for his low returns this year. But the No. 3 has managed to turn it around very well. After a gritty fifty in Adelaide, Labuschagne registered two match-winning half-centuries (70 and 72) in Melbourne.

At the SCG, he averages 81 in 10 knocks with one century and six fifties. Labuschagne’s highest test score of 215 came in Sydney against New Zealand in 2020.

4. Steve Smith

After a dull start to his BGT 2024-25 series, with only 19 runs in three innings, Steve Smith racked up two centuries in two tests in Brisbane and Melbourne.

He now has 277 runs in four tests at an average of 39. The SCG is Smith’s home ground and he absolutely loves batting here, as suggested by his average of 70 in 11 tests, in which he notched up four centuries and seven fifties.

Smith has two centuries and two fifties in four innings against India in Sydney.

5. Travis Head

While Travis Head was knocked over by Bumrah for single-digit scores in Melbourne, he’d done a lot of damage in the previous three tests.

He remains the highest scorer of the IND vs AUS series with 443 runs at 58, with two hundreds and one fifty. However, at the SCG, he averages only 27 in four tests.

6. Mitchell Marsh

Mitchell Marsh has been in a terrible rut in this series, having scored only 73 runs in seven innings. He’s bowled only 33 overs as well, not contributing much with the ball in the last couple of tests.

There is pressure from the outside on Marsh’s place in the side. However, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald backed Marsh after the MCG win, and the all-rounder is likely to keep his place in the side for the Sydney test.

7. Alex Carey (wk)

Carey has provided vital runs down the order in this series. He’s scored 195 runs at an average of 32 with one fifty to his name.

Carey has been flawless behind the stumps.

8. Pat Cummins (C)

While there were hundreds and five-fors at the MCG, it was Pat Cummins who bagged the Man of the Match award for his returns of 49 and 41 with the bat and 3/89 & 3/28 with the ball, along with his exceptional leadership, especially as Australia forced a win on day 5.

Cummins has been outstanding since the Adelaide test. He’s picked up 20 wickets in four tests at 22 and scored 149 runs at 21.

9. Mitchell Starc/Jhye Richardson

Starc has bowled with serious heat for the majority of the series, bagging 15 wickets so far. He had some discomfort on day 5 at the MCG, possibly a back problem.

“Clearly Starcy’s carrying something of some description. We’ll assess that,” coach McDonald said.

If Starc is unfit or rested for the Sydney test, Australia can pick either Jhye Richardson or Sean Abbott. Richardson played three tests between 2019 and 2021, while Abbott is uncapped a test level.

10. Nathan Lyon

Lyon hadn’t had much to do in the first three tests, but contributed with both bat and ball in Melbourne. He scored 13 and 41 and took five wickets in the match.

His 10th-wicket stand of 61 runs with Scott Boland in Australia’s second innings was a morale-killing partnership for India.

Lyon has a good record in Sydney, with 48 wickets in 13 tests.

11. Scott Boland

It’s a luxury for Australia to have a back-up seamer of the quality of Scott Boland. In Josh Hazlewood’s injury-forced absence, Boland has snared 11 wickets in two tests at an average of only 18.27.

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