The India national cricket team arrived in Sydney on Tuesday ahead of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. A viral video showed Indian players, including Rishabh Pant and captain Rohit Sharma, descending an escalator at Sydney Airport.
While most players, including KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Akash Deep, and Rohit Sharma, made the trip together, senior players Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah were notably absent from the team group. According to media reports, Kohli and Bumrah would join the squad separately, traveling with their families.
The visitors traveled after a grueling five-day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where they suffered a 184-run defeat. Australia leads the series 2-1, placing India in a must-win scenario to avoid their first series loss to Australia since 2016. The match is also pivotal for India’s chances in the ICC World Test Championship. A defeat or draw would eliminate India from contention for the final. If India wins, their path to the championship final would require Sri Lanka to defeat Australia 1-0 in their upcoming series.
The Sydney Test may also mark the end of an era for Indian cricket, as it could potentially be the final appearance in Tests for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both veterans have struggled for form throughout the series and face mounting scrutiny.
