SYDNEY, Jan 3, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - India won the toss and chose to bat in the
fifth and final Test against Australia on Friday, with Jasprit Bumrah
captaining the side after Rohit Sharma was dropped.

The hosts lead the five-match series 2-1 after their 184-run victory late on
day five in Melbourne earlier in the week.

They will regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15
if they win or draw.

In a significant, but not unexpected, decision opener, Rohit was axed after
failing to get past 10 runs in any of his five innings during the series.

KL Rahul moves back to the top of the order alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with
Shubman Gill returning at three.

In the only other change, pace bowler Akash Deep was ruled out injured with
Prasidh Krishna replacing him.

"Obviously, our captain has shown leadership by opting to rest in this game,"
said Bumrah on an overcast day, referring to Rohit.

"It shows that there is a lot of unity in our team, there's no selfishness."

Australia dumped allrounder Mitchell Marsh after a poor series with Beau
Webster filling the role in his first Test.

Mitchell Starc was declared fit to again spearhead their attack alongside Pat
Cummins and Scott Boland.

"We would have batted as well," said skipper Cummins.

"But overcast conditions, so hopefully we can get the ball to swing around a
bit."

Australia: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith,
Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc,
Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant,
Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah
(capt), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Umpires: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN), Michael Gough (ENG)

TV umpire: Joel Wilson (WIS)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)