Australia have named an unchanged Playing XI for the final Test match against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) as they prepare for David Warner’s farewell. The contest, set to start on Wednesday (Jan 3), will see Australia led by skipper Pat Cummins try to inflict a whitewash over the visitors. Having won the Perth Test by 360 runs, the Baggy Greens followed it up with a 79-run win in the Boxing Day Test and lead the three-match series 2-0.

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The Aussies search for whitewash

Australia have won all their SCG fixtures, their very first match every new year, since 2011. They will look to continue the tradition as they take on a Pakistan side that is already struggling with injuries. A win for them at the SCG will see them register their first whitewash in a decade having last beaten England 5-0 in the 2013-14 Ashes. While it was anticipated that one of Cummins, Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc could be rested, Australia have opted to go with the reliable trio after an extra day’s rest in Melbourne.

The fixture will have bitter-sweet memories for the Aussies as they wave goodbye to Warner who has had an illustrious career with the national team in the Test format. Having announced his retirement from the red-ball format for the national side, Warner’s inclusion in the side was inevitable for the SCG Test. He had a superb start to the three-match series, having scored 164 at the Perth Stadium leading the hosts to a massive win. 

ALSO READ | AUS vs PAK: Pat Cummins urges David Warner to flex his arm ahead of farewell, says ‘maybe some leg spin’

The left-hand batter will go down as one of the greats of the game having amassed 8695 runs in Test format from 111 matches. In his illustrious career, he has scored 26 Test hundreds, eighth-highest for the Aussies in the format.

Australia XI for New Year’s Test

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (captain), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc

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