3rd Test: Restricted India ready for fresh challenge from Aussies (Preview)

Sydney, Jan 6 : India, who are in the middle of strict quarantine and restricted to their hotels, will be tested both mentally and physically when they face Australia in the third Test in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy that begins Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Despite winning the previous Test to bring the four-match series level at 1-1, India have been under the cosh over the past one week with five of their players being investigated for alleged breach of bio-security protocols during a dine-out in Melbourne. While the team management has restricted the movement of the players to the hotel-ground-hotel routine, it has also decided to field four of the five players in the playing XI for the Sydney Test in a sign of backing their players.
The Aussie line-up, on the other hand, will include dashing opener David Warner with the other batsmen given plenty freedom to go after the India bowlers who until now have kept a tight leash.
India are sticking to the five-bowler theory that has helped them restrict Australia, bringing in right-arm fast bowler Navdeep Saini — who will make his debut — in place of injured Umesh Yadav in the playing XI. They have also included Rohit Sharma as opener in place of Mayank Agarwal.
Rohit is one of the five players investigated for alleged breach of bio-security protocols. Among others out of those five in the playing XI are Navdeep, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill.
Apart from the dine-out controversy and an hour that saw them get all out for 36 at Adelaide, India have been on the money with their tight and disciplined bowling keeping the series alive so far.