AUS vs SA Pink Test: AUS Playing XI – Even after sealing the three-match Test series against South Africa, Australia broke the tradition of announcing playing XI for the third and final Test in Sydney. The Pink Test will begin from January 4 and is likely to favor spinners more than the pacers. Australia skipper Pat Cummins feels the pitch in Sydney will be more sub-continent style. Is this the reason the hosts have withheld announcing the playing XI? Let’s check out Sydney pitch report, & AUS SA Playing XI. Follow AUS vs SA Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
AUS vs SA Pink Test: Australia break TRADITION, withhold announcing Playing XI over Sydney Pitch fears, Check Sydney Pitch Report, AUS SA Playing XI, Follow Pink Test LIVE Updates
AUS vs SA Sydney Pitch Report
Sydney Cricket Ground is traditionally a high-scoring ground and good for batting, spinners, in particular, enjoy bowling on this surface owing to its dry nature. 350 is the average first innings score on this ground.
AUS vs SA Pink Test: Australia ponders over including Ashton Agar for Sydney Test – Australia’s selection panel are pondering whether to include two spinners in the playing XI for SCG Test. Ashton Agar is all set to play a Test after a gap of five years. SCG pitch is thin on grass and a bit patchy.
“A few of the players have told me it looks like a wicket from about 10 years ago, which gave me a bit of confidence,” curator Adam Lewis said today.
“It’s thin on grass, a bit patchy, and probably not the best-looking pitch that we’ve seen, but we’re looking forward to it and we’ve done the best we can.
“We’re hoping for a traditional SCG pitch. It’s not quite what we’ve seen in the past few years.”
AUS vs SA: Pat Cummins feels five bowlers are not required for Sydney surface
Skipper Pat Cummins is ready with playing XI, but have told the selection panel not to release names. The pacer believes five bowlers are a bit too much on a dry Sydney surface.
“I don’t think it’s the WACA-type pace-bowling friendly wicket out there,” Cummins told reporters today. “We’re not totally sold (on how many bowlers will be required) either way.
“(Part-timers) Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne can bowl a bit as well, so if we pick five out-and-out bowlers, it probably takes it up to six or seven.
AUS SA Playing XI:
AUS: David Warner, Khawaja, Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cummins, Lyon, Starc, Boland
SA: Saral Erwee, Dean Elgar, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Khya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Simon Harmer