Australia lose by nine wickets to India in third men’s one-day international – as it happened

11.27am BST India win by nine wickets, with 11.3 overs to spare That, in anyone’s language, is a belting. India’s spinners controlled the tempo of Australia’s innings, with Kuldeep joining Axar and Washington. All took wickets, all went for fewer than five an over in the process. That was after a good start from Siraj, then it was Harshit Rana who stamped his influence on the middle of the innings, knocking off Carey, Connolly, and Owen. India took some time to get started, with Rohit careful against Starc and Hazlewood, but Gill was the only wicket to fall, out to the latter. Neither of Australia’s strike bowlers came back to finish their allotment later, which was odd, given how dominant the batting partnership was. It looked like the Australians were happy to put the cue in the rack when it came to looking after the Ashes bowlers. Rohit and Kohli join for a TV interview after the game, which is unusual in itself, and speak about how much they’ve enjoyed playing in Sydney over the years, and their thanks for the crowd’s support. If they do make it to the World Cup in 2027, you wouldn’t rule out CA and the BCCI sneaking in another series here somehow, but it’s not on the schedule at this stage, so this is probably their Australian farewell. Unless they want to pack up the IPL and join Ashwin in the Big Bash? Who wouldn’t? That’s it for today. There’s a T20 series to follow, but not Kohli or Rohit there, and some of Australia’s guns will miss that too. On we go. Farewell. 11.16am BST 38.3 overs: India 237-1 (Sharma 121, Kohli 74) And that is that! India do it with a leg in the air, cruising past Australia’s total one wicket down, in a valedictory lap in Australia for these two. Consolation win, India lose the series, but they get this one tonight. A couple of singles from Ellis, then Kohli plays the uppercut! Sees the short ball coming at him, stands his ground, sways his body away, and gets bat up and under that ball to send it very fine for four. Great control, and that’s the game. 11.13am BST 38th over: India 231-1 (Sharma 120, Kohli 69) If Short’s second over was messier, his third has burned down the house. Rohit has prospered on the slog sweep today, and he does so twice more, the first behind square, not smashed but timed, the top edge is involved but that’s the deliberate version, choosing elevation. The second gets more elevation, in fact, but drops short by the end, one bounce. 11.08am BST 37th over: India 219-1 (Sharma 109, Kohli 68) Decides to have an adventure, does Kohli, and sallies down the pitch to smack Ellis over mid off, but doesn’t get it cleanly. Skims it along the grass to the fielder instead. Next ball Rohit turns down a sharp run. Rather a contrast still between these two, in that regard. Finally Kohli gets his run, this time into the leg side. Rohit on strike, pull shot, top edge, but the Australian fielders have clocked off. Ellis doesn’t run back, Hazlewood doesn’t run up from mid on, and in the end the ball lands safely between them. Kohli gets strike and ends the over with a classic Kohli flick through midwicket for four. It rolls gently, has no right to beat a fielder, but its placement is so perfect that it does. Updated at 11.10am BST 11.01am BST 36th over: India 213-1 (Sharma 108, Kohli 63) Short continues, and if his first over was tidy, his second one needs to clean up its room. Starts with a wide, Kohli pushes through cover, then Rohit absolutely belts a slog sweep, and we get a Boundary Line CSI replay to confirm that it has indeed bounced on the grass just as it made contact with the rope. Four, not six. A few singles, eight from the over. and 24 left to win. 10.57am BST 35th over: India 205-1 (Sharma 103, Kohli 61) Zampa hunting for something. Tight line on the pads, looking to skid one on perhaps. Rohit gets a run straight, Kohli one off the pads. Looks like they’ve decided to see off Zampa in his final over. His last ball does indeed skid on at leg stump, Rohit having to go back and stab at it for an inside edge to avoid an appeal for leg before. 10.54am BST 34th over: India 203-1 (Sharma 102, Kohli 60) Matt Short comes on for a bowl, and starts sedately, even beats Rohit’s outside edge with one that drifts away a touch. Rohit is out of his ground but stretches that back to into safety. Three singles from the over. Updated at 10.57am BST 10.49am BST Century! Rohit Sharma 100 from 105 balls 33rd over: India 200-1 (Sharma 100, Kohli 59) Zampa carries on. Rohit nicks him! But through an empty slip. Takes two runs, then trades singles. Has strike on 99… gaps everywhere, why not bring the field up? But they don’t, and after not getting it on the first attempt, he eases a drive to long off on the second. He’s found his groove tonight, and he’s purred to a hundred. 37 runs to win, and Kohli needs 41 for a hundred, so he could get it if he scored every remaining run and finished with a six… So no. It will only be one of India’s big pair getting a ton tonight, but the other can still finish with a juicy not out. That’s drinks. 10.45am BST 32nd over: India 195-1 (Sharma 96, Kohli 58) There’s the run we’ve been (I’ve been) waiting for – a simple single off Connolly, and Kohli goes to second spot on tbe all-time ODI runs list, passing Kumar Sangakarra’s 14,234. Crazy numbers, especially considering that Kohli did not play in the peak ODI era in terms of volume. He and Rohit are in the top 10 for runs with vastly fewer matches played than the other eight. Rohit gets strike and sweeps another four with immense power, all along the ground, then Connolly goes from too straight to too wide, and Kohli laces the cut shot for four! 10.42am BST 31st over: India 184-1 (Sharma 90, Kohli 53) In such control, and now close to a hundred, Rohit eases back in this over. Doesn’t need to take a risk against Zampa, so he blocks a few, tries a push through cover, gets a run from the second attempt. 53 to get. 10.40am BST 30th over: India 183-1 (Sharma 89, Kohli 53) Rohit rolls on, sweeping Connolly away for four. He’s just not the finished article with the ball, is Connolly, so bowling at this level is an ask too much. Not that any of the specialist bowlers have fared better tonight. 10.39am BST 29th over: India 178-1 (Sharma 84, Kohli 53) Rohit goes galloping on: the leg-side smack off Zampa last over, this over a pure caress through the covers. He is on one tonight. Did anyone say they were finished? (We all wondered it.) It looks easy when it’s working though. Hundred partnership up, their 19th, which puts them third on the all-time list. The only ones are now are Dilshan with Sanga, and Sachin with Ganguly. 10.37am BST Half century! Virat Kohli 50 from 56 balls 28th over: India 171-1 (Sharma 78, Kohli 52) Takes a two, then a single to raise his half century. Absurdly, his 75th in ODI cricket, along with the 51 tons. Cooper Connolly the bowler. Talk about a mismatch of experience. 10.30am BST 27th over: India 165-1 (Sharma 77, Kohli 47) Smacked by Rohit first ball! Zampa floats one down and the former Indian skipper loves the slog sweep. Gets under it and belts it over the fence over midwicket. Zampa gets through the rest of the over tidily but INdia are strolling this. 10.25am BST 26th over: India 157-1 (Sharma 70, Kohli 46) Kohli plays his trademark swivel pull for four off Ellis and Sharma follows up with a carve over midwicket for another boundary! Geoff Lemon is in the house and is going to take over, this match appears to only be heading one way. All yours Geoff! 10.25am BST 26th over: India 157-1 (Sharma 70, Kohli 46) Greetings all. Halfway mark, Geoff Lemon taking over from James Wallace, while Kohli and Rohit go short for shot. That’s not supposed to be a direct comparison. Kohli picks plays a vintage pull shot from Ellis, lovely timing for four, then Rohit produces that a wristy flick of his that flies over midwicket for another one. A single every other ball, a dozen from the over. 10.21am BST 25th over: India 145-1 (Sharma 64, Kohli 40) Zampa scuds through another over, four singles pilfered. We reach the halfway stage in overs but we are well past that in terms of runs – 92 needed from the next 25 overs. 10.16am BST 24th over: India 141-1 (Sharma 62, Kohli 38) Kohli is nearly a goner! Ellis gets one to shoot through low and it pins Kohli on the pad… after a loooong wait the umpire says no. Australia send it upstairs and it is clipping the bails so stays NOT OUT on umpires call. Kohli flashes a wide smile, I think he though he was on his way there. 10.14am BST 23rd over: India 134-1 (Sharma 59, Kohli 36)Mitch Marsh shuffles his pack but still to no avail at the moment. Zampa returns, Sharma sweeps and gets enough on it to send it to the fine leg fence for four. 10.13am BST 22nd over: India 127-1 (Sharma 54, Kohli 34) Matt Short into the attack and a single off every ball. 110 from 28 overs needed for India. 10.07am BST 21st over: India 121-1 (Sharma 51, Kohli 31) Rohit Sharma goes to 50 off 63 balls and the SCG crowd goes wild. Imagine if Virat gets there too… India chipping away without any fuss at the moment. 10.02am BST 20th over: India 117-1 (Sharma 49, Kohli 29) Mitch Owen gets in and out of an over cheaply, just two runs off it. Sharma’s single takes him to 49, prepare for the noise! 9.57am BST 19th over: India 115-1 (Sharma 48, Kohli 27) Six runs pocketed of Ellis. The crowd have settled into an excitable burble. Worth seeking out Kohli’s entrance earlier, that felt like a proper moment. 9.54am BST 18th over: India 109-1 (Sharma 46, Kohli 24) Sharma and Kohli have gone into Elite Acculation Mode™. Cooper Connolly picked off for four singles with no alarms. 9.47am BST 17th over: India 105-1 (Sharma 44, Kohli 22) Starc returns with a testing over to Sharma, full and fast and then short and fast. Three off it, India need 132 from 33 overs. It’ll be absolute scenes if Kohli and Sharma knock these off. 9.40am BST 16th over: India 102-1 (Sharma 43, Kohli 22) The hundred comes up for India as Zampa is clipped for three off his third over and it is time for a slurp of electrolytes. Drinks. All India at the moment. 9.33am BST 15th over: India 99-1 (Sharma 41, Kohli 21) Starc returns and his first ball is driven by Kohli with high elbowed panache on the up through cover for four! The crowd enjoyed that one, sublime batting. Four singles follow, what a pleasure it is to see these two all time greats in full flow. 9.31am BST 14th over: India 91-1 (Sharma 40, Kohli 14) Oh my days that is a gawwwgeous shot from Rohit Sharma! Zampa gives it some flight and he is lofted in-to-out over extra cover for SIX! Hold the pose! 9.30am BST 13th over: India 83-1 (Sharma 32, Kohli 14) A brilliant battle between Kohli and Hazlewood. The bowler beats him with one that rises sharply but a short ball is then top edged over the keeper for four! Kohli works off his pads for two twos to keep the scoreboard ticking. Don’t go anywhere! Updated at 10.18am BST 9.26am BST 12th over: India 75-1 (Sharma 32, Kohli 6) Great theatre at the SCG, the crowd have ramped up since Kohli’s arrival and have not abated. Kohli cuts new bowler Adam Zampa for four past point and the decibel count goes up another notch. 9.23am BST 11th over: India 70-1 (Sharma 32, Kohli 1) Kohli gets off the mark with a quick single and a smile breaks out across his face. He even does a small fist pump. No historic third duck in a row for him. 9.17am BST Virat Kohli walks to the middle to a cacophony of noise. Retirement rumours swirling, could this be the last time (on Australian soil at least?) 9.16am BST WICKET! Shubman Gill c †Carey b Hazlewood 24 (India 69-1) Australia in need and Josh Hazlewood delivers! Gill nicks off and that brings you know who to the middle… 9.13am BST 10th over: India 68-0 (Sharma 31, Gill 24) Mitch Marsh turns to Cooper Connolly’s left arm spin… Sharma and Gill work him around and have a look before Gill decides he wants some fun and drops to his knees and launches a slog sweep for SIX over midwicket! 9.09am BST 9th over: India 58-0 (Sharma 30, Gill 15) Sharma is ticking now, he lofts Hazlewood over midwicket for four and then opens the face outside off to steer four more behind point. India cruising along at the moment. 9.04am BST 8th over: India 48-0 (Sharma 25, Gill 10) Ellis is too straight again, Sharma whips him for a couple off the pads and then four more come courtesy of the thigh pad. Too straight Nath! Class from Rohit as he lofts four more over long on with Swiss clock timing and glides a single past point to pinch strike from Shubman. 8.59am BST 7th over: India 37-0 (Sharma 18, Gill 10) It’s a change of ends for Hazlewood, Gill and Sharma exchange singles but then Big Josh finds his length once more and stitches together four dots to finish the over. 8.57am BST 6th over: India 35-0 (Sharma 17, Gill 9) Nathan Ellis replaces the incredibly frugal Josh Hazlewood and it seems like a bit of a duff move to begin with. Five wides slammed down the leg side give Alex Carey no chance and then a clip off the thigh pad brings four more to Shubman. Thirteen runs off the over. 8.49am BST Geoff is slightly delayed so just jumping back on until he is ready to roll. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are out there for India, Sharma has just pinged Starc for four through point to get India up to 22-0 in the fifth over. 8.18am BST As Geoff Lemon gets ready to sidle into the OBO hot seat to bring you the Indian chase I’ll leave you with some interval reading. I sat down with David Gower last week to talk all things Ashes, including who he is picking to bat at number three for England… Related: ‘Team togetherness is crucial’: David Gower on how to win the Ashes Thanks for your company, goodbye. Updated at 8.41am BST 8.16am BST The SCG pitch is doing a little but Australia’s innings never really got going. Renshaw top scored with 56, most of the top order got starts but failed to capitalise. India’s spinners were thrifty and then penetrative. Kuldeep, Axar and Washington Sundar all impressing. Harshit Rana finished with 4-39 and Mohammed Siraj only bowled five overs but picked up 1-54, bagging the crucial first wicket of Travis Head. Australia’s bowlers will have to do something pretty special to pull of that series whitewash. Updated at 8.24am BST 8.01am BST WICKET! Josh Hazlewood b Harshit Rana 0 (Australia all out 236) Bang Bang! Hazlewood is yorked, stumps splattered and Australia are bowled out with 3.2 overs to spare! 7.56am BST WICKET! Cooper Connolly c Kohli b Harshit Rana 23 (Australia 236-9) The fun doesn’t last long, Connolly departs caught at long off by Kohli and Hazlewood comes to the middle as the last man… Updated at 8.08am BST 7.53am BST 46th over: Australia 236-8 (Connolly 23, Zampa 2) Australia’s best over in a long time. Connolly flicks Krishna for two boundaries through the leg side and Zampa is off the mark with two through square leg. Twelve off it. 7.49am BST 45th over: Australia 224-8 (Connolly 14, Zampa 0) Just a Connolly single as Axar Patel stitches the dots together. 7.47am BST 44th over: Australia 223-8 (Connolly 13, Zampa 0) Adam Zampa is the new batter. 7.46am BST WICKET! Nathan Ellis c Sharma b Prasidh Krishna 16 (Australia 223-8) After a bit of humpty Ellis falls by clipping Krishna to Sharma at midwicket. The Aussies are eight down and in danger of not batting out their overs. Updated at 8.08am BST 7.42am BST 43rd over: Australia 218-7 (Connolly 13, Ellis 12) Kuldeep sends down two beauties to bookend his final over, Connolly left swiping at air. 1-50 off ten overs for Kuldeep is a decent day at the office. 7.38am BST 42nd over: Australia 216-7 (Connolly 11, Ellis 12) Ellis bangs Krishna through long on for four and then finds the fence backward of point with the next ball to get some welcome boundaries for the Aussies. Updated at 8.09am BST 7.30am BST 41st over: Australia 207-7 (Connolly 11, Ellis 3) Kuldeep is masterful, just a single off his penultimate over. 7.29am BST 40th over: Australia 206-7 (Connolly 10, Ellis 3) Ellis punches Rana through long on for three, a couple of singles make it five off the over. Since Head and Marsh departed Australia have found it hard to find the boundary with any regularity. They’ve found the fence 17 times in the innings and have also chalked up 48 per cent dot balls. 7.23am BST 39th over: Australia 201-7 (Connolly 8, Ellis 0) Australia spluttering in Sydney, Nathan Ellis joins Cooper Connolly in the middle with plenty to do. 7.21am BST WICKET! Mitchell Starc b Kuldeep Yadav 2 (Australia 201-7) Starc is beaten all ends up by Kuldeep’s googly! 7.20am BST 38th over: Australia 199-6 (Connolly 7, Starc 1) Rana has 2-37 off his seven overs so far. Mitch Starc is the new man and India have a chance of slicing through the Aussies cheaply. 7.16am BST WICKET! Mitchell Owen c Sharma b Harshit Rana 1 (Australia 198-6) Gone! Rana knicks off Mitch Owen and Rohit Sharma holds the catch at slip! Australia lose two quick wickets. India won’t be whitewashed without a fight! 7.14am BST 37th over: Australia 197-5 (Connolly 6, Owen 1) Mitch Owen is the new man. He drives to long on to get off the mark. Washington Sundar finishes his spell with figures of 2-42. India have not let Australia get away from them, two new batters at the crease and we’re into the final third of the innings. 7.09am BST WICKET! Matt Renshaw lbw b Washington Sundar 56 (Australia 195-5) Big wicket! Renshaw had done the hard yards but has to go! Sundar strikes in his last over, sliding one on with the arm and Renshaw misses. The ball hits the pad and the umpire raises the finger. DRS doesn’t save the batter, three reds and the Aussies are five down. Updated at 7.34am BST 7.06am BST 36th over: Australia 195-4 (Renshaw 56, Connolly 5) Rana sends down a slower ball and follows up with a sharp bouncer that flies past Renshaw’s grill and spills through KL Rahul’s gloves and away for two byes. 7.04am BST 35th over: Australia 188-4 (Renshaw 53, Connolly 3) Sundar doesn’t give anything to hit, he gets through his ninth for just four singles and has 1-42 from his nine overs. Tidy. 7.02am BST WICKET! Alex Carey c Iyer b Harshit Rana 24 (Australia 184-4) Alex Carey’s scratch innings comes to an end and the drop by Krishna doesn’t cost India too dearly. Shreya Iyer pulls off a special grab over his shoulder in the deep but he lands on the ball and winds himself in the process. He goes off with the physio after being backslapped and bumpatted by his teammates. Updated at 7.08am BST 6.59am BST Apologies some technical difficulties at this end means I have missed a few overs. Matt Renshaw has gone to 50 and there’s been a wicket! Updated at 7.09am BST 6.43am BST 31st over: Australia 162-3 (Renshaw 41, Carey 13) Sundar scuds through another over, he has 1-31 from his seven overs in the blink of an eye. 6.41am BST 30th over: Australia 156-3 (Renshaw 39, Carey 9) Kuldeep once again as the squeeze continues. DROP! Carey is shelled by Prasidh Krishna at long on! Simple chance but he saw it late and didn’t get in a good position. That’s a big chance gone begging for India to really get this match by the scruff of the neck. Carey thought he was a goner! 6.38am BST 29th over: Australia 152-3 (Renshaw 37, Carey 7) Australia bring up their 150 as Sundar drops short and is whistled away on the pull by Renshaw. Despite the welcome boundary the run rate is still hovering around five an over. 6.35am BST 28th over: Australia 145-3 (Renshaw 31, Carey 6) Kuldeep returns, Gill shuffling his attack and keeping Australia tied down at the moment. Five off the over. 6.34am BST 27th over: Australia 140-3 (Renshaw 27, Carey 5) Carey struggling to time the ball, has just five from his 18 balls so far. 6.33am BST 26th over: Australia 134-3 (Renshaw 26, Carey 3) Prasidh goes for just three and beats Carey on the outside edge. Its gone a bit murky and quiet at the SCG. 6.24am BST 25th over: Australia 134-3 (Renshaw 24, Carey 2) At the halfway mark the honours are about even but India are keeping a lid on the Aussies at the moment. A couple of quick wickets and they’d be well on top. 6.22am BST 24th over: Australia 131-3 (Renshaw 22, Carey 1) Prasidh Krishna comes back into the attack. Renshaw rides the bounce and picks up two twos into the leg side. I might’ve given Axar one more over but I am also very much not an international cricket captain. 6.15am BST 23rd over: Australia 124-3 (Renshaw 16, Carey 0) Alex Carey is the new man. Sundar gives him nothing, three dots to finish the over. 6.14am BST WICKET! Matthew Short c Kohli b Washington Sundar 30 (Australia 124-3) The pressure tells! Short sweeps Sundar hard but straight to Kohli at square leg and he holds on to a sharp chance. Good period of play this for India. Updated at 6.33am BST 6.12am BST 22nd over: Australia 121-2 (Short 30, Renshaw 13) Axar has peeled off five overs and has 1-17. 6.11am BST 21st over: Australia 118-2 (Short 30, Renshaw 10) Australia can’t really break the shackles. Washington whistles through another over that costs five runs with no boundary. Feels like something’s gotta give soon. 6.09am BST 20th over: Australia 113-2 (Short 27, Renshaw 8) Short spoils Axar’s over with a lovely lapped sweep for four. Five off the over. 6.08am BST 19th over: Australia 108-2 (Short 23, Renshaw 7) Washington Sundar into the attack, India looking to put on the squeeze and rattle through some quick overs. Just four off it. Updated at 6.17am BST 6.06am BST 18th over: Australia 104-2 (Short 20, Renshaw 6) Just four off Axar’s latest, India having a good few overs here. 5.54am BST 17th over: Australia 100-2 (Short 18, Renshaw 4) Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana get in each others way at deep midwicket and make a bodge job of stopping Short’s flick off the pads from going for four. Australia bring up their 100. 5.49am BST 16th over: Australia 92-2 (Short 11, Renshaw 3) Matt Renshaw replaces Marsh, India sense this is a moment to put some pressure back on Australia. Renshaw off the mark with a paddle sweep for two. Four runs and the wicket of Marsh off the over. 5.45am BST WICKET! Mitchell Marsh b Patel 41 (Australia 88-2) Big wicket! First ball after drinks Marsh is beaten by one that skids on and knocks back his off-stump! Updated at 6.14am BST 5.42am BST 15th over: Australia 88-1 (Marsh 41, Short 10) Kuldeep drags one down and is boshed away over the leg side for four by Marsh. Time for a drink. 5.40am BST 14th over: Australia 80-1 (Marsh 36, Short 7) Axar Patel into the attack with his left arm tweakings. He starts frugally, just two runs off the over. 5.33am BST 13th over: Australia 78-1 (Marsh 35, Short 7) India burn a review as KL Rahul thinks Short got an edge behind off Yadav but the review shows nothing on the snicko and the umpire stays with his original decision of not out. Updated at 5.34am BST 5.31am BST 12th over: Australia 71-1 (Marsh 29, Short 6) India are enjoying a few overs of peace and quiet since Head’s departure. Siraj bustles through his over, just four runs off it. 5.26am BST 11th over: Australia 67-1 (Marsh 28, Short 3) Time for some spin, Kuldeep Yadav is called into the attack. Both batters are watchful but manage to rotate strike for four singles. 5.24am BST 10th over: Australia 63-1 (Marsh 26, Short 1) Matt Short is the new batter and he should’ve been run out second ball! Indecision with Marsh sees both batters dancing in the middle of the wicket as Gill collects at mid off and has all three stumps to aim at. The throw is slung wide and Short survives. That’s a bad miss. Updated at 5.25am BST 5.17am BST WICKET! Travis Head c Prasidh Krishna b Mohammed Siraj (Australia 61-1) Gone! Travis Head flays the returning Siraj over extra cover for four but then guides the very next ball to backward point! India needed that, Head can’t believe he’s given his wicket away and drags himself off the SCG turf. Updated at 5.34am BST 5.15am BST 9th over: Australia 57-0 (Marsh 25, Head 25) Three singles collected off Prasidh Krishna. Updated at 5.23am BST 5.11am BST 8th over: Australia 54-0 (Marsh 24, Head 23) Marsh drives Rana with an open face past point for four. A single to each batter follows. Marsh then trots out of his crease and bunts Rana back over his head for four. The two batters smile and glove bump at the end of the over with the fifty up. It’s all Australia at the minute. 5.05am BST 7th over: Australia 44-0 (Marsh 15, Head 22) Prasidh Krishna replaces Siraj and his first ball is spanked into the crowd for SIX on the pull by Marsh! Do not bowl there son. A single brings Marsh on strike. Krishna is too short again and Head doesn’t miss out – pulling over midwicket for four. Thirteen in total off the over, Australia beginning to motor now. Updated at 5.08am BST 4.59am BST 6th over: Australia 31-0 (Marsh 7, Head 17) Travis Head looks in dangerous form, Rana is full and driven with supreme disdain through point for four. Rana goes around the wicket and spears one into the pads but it was comfortably sliding down. Updated at 5.11am BST 4.57am BST 5th over: Australia 26-0 (Marsh 6, Head 13) Cat and mouse between Head and Siraj. The batter punches outside off and gets four by threading the gap and the bowler responds by beating him outside off stump. Three dots follow but Head wins the over with a punch for four that whistles to the boundary. 4.52am BST 4th over: Australia 18-0 (Marsh 6, Head 5) Rana swings one back prodigiously! Marsh leaves it alone but it decks back and bounces over the bails, beating KL Rahul behind the stumps and running away for four byes. Shot! Rana serves up a half-volley that Marsh absolutely marmalises with a cover drive to the fence. 4.47am BST 3rd over: Australia 9-0 (Marsh 2, Head 5) A stat flashes up to say that the past nine ODIs at the SCG have been won by the team batting first. There’s decent carry and a bit of life in this wicket early doors though, Marsh gets a leg bye, Siraj then slants one past Head and the leftie has a flirt at it outside off stump. A single to midwicket brings Marsh back on strike. Well bowled! Siraj takes the edge but it flies wide of the cordon and away for a single. No boundary yet for… ah there it is – Head flicks off his pads with lovely timing to get four off the final ball. 4.41am BST 2nd over: Australia 2-0 (Marsh 1, Head 0) Harshit Rana begins from round the wicket, he’s back of a length and darting it off the biscuit coloured surface. Head is hopping a little at the crease, a leg bye and a scampered single see Australia open their account. Marsh then plinks a drive down the ground for a single and the first run off the bat. Excellent start from India’s opening bowlers. Updated at 4.44am BST 4.36am BST 1st over: Australia 0-0 (Marsh 0, Head 0) Lovely start from Siraj, he gets some swing in the air and a smidge of movement off the pitch. Marsh is defending on the front foot and then plays a booming… leave. Dot follows dot. A maiden to begin with! 4.33am BST Righto, the indomitable Mohammed Siraj has the ball in hand. Mitch Marsh and Travis Head to open up for Australia. Let’s play! Updated at 5.08am BST 4.25am BST It’s pitch black where I am in deepest Sussex (England) but I’m pleased to report it is clear and bright at the SCG. No pesky rain delays on my watch thanks very much. The players are readying, we’ll be underway in five minutes. 4.15am BST Australia win the toss and choose to bat first Crazily, that is the EIGHTEENTH lost ODI toss in a row for India. Pretty sure the probability of that happening would make your brain melt. Anyway, Shubman Gill doesn’t mind, he says he would have bowled first anyway, so there. “It looks a good surface” say Mitch Marsh. “Sunny conditions, hopefully we bat well and put a good total on the board.” He confirms one change for Australia. Nathan Ellis is back in for Xavier Bartlett. No rest for Starc and Hazlewood. Shubman Gill confirms two changes for India - Kuldeep and Prasidh come in for Reddy and Arshdeep. Australia: 1 Mitchell Marsh (c), 2 Travis Head, 3 Matthew Short, 4 Matthew Renshaw, 4 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Cooper Connolly, 7 Mitchell Owen, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood India: 1 Shubman Gill (c), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Axar Patel, 6 KL Rahul (wk), 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj Updated at 4.23am BST 4.02am BST Preamble Hello and welcome to the third men’s one day international between Australia and India from the historic Sydney Cricket Ground. Dead rubber? Pffft. Australia may have clinched the series with their two wicket win in Adelaide but a bout between these two sides is never dead, for the Aussies it is a chance to put a clean sweep over India for the first time in an ODI series. For India, well it’s a case of stopping that from happening, basically. Virat Kohli has bagged two ducks in a row, giving a l’orange hue of late to his extremely gilded ODI career. With a quick turnaround between games he might not have messrs Starc and Hazlewood to contend with as a certain Test series of note is looming ever closer. Play begins at the SCG at 2.30pm local time, an eye squintingly early 4.30am here in Blighty. I’ll be back with the news of the teams and the toss (along with a vat of extremely strong coffee in hand) very shortly. Updated at 4.08am BST