Pat Cummins says Australia determined to "rectify what's happened" in series so far
Tuesday 1 January 2019 09:56, UK
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin completed a training session in the SCG's indoor nets on New Year's Day as he aims to prove his fitness for the final Test against Australia.
Ashwin missed the second and third Tests in Perth and Melbourne respectively with an abdominal strain having taken six wickets in the opening fixture in Adelaide.
India will be forced into at least one change in Sydney as they hunt a maiden Test series win in Australia, with batsman Rohit Sharma flying home to see his new daughter.
"I think Ashwin's very close to being match-fit," India captain Virat Kohli had said on Sunday after his side beat Australia by 137 runs at the MCG to take a 2-1 lead in the series and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
"He's been bowling a lot of overs, and I'm sure these next four days will make him even stronger.
"Regardless of it being the last Test match, he will be willing to push himself and start for the team - but again it depends on what kind of pitch we get in Sydney."
Australia seamer Pat Cummins says his side are determined to maintain their record of never having lost a home Test series to India when the Sydney Test begins on Wednesday.
"We spoke at the start of the series about the record that we've got to try to hang onto," he said. "2-1 is a pretty fair reflection of how we've played the series so far.
"You can see why they're the No. 1 Test side in the world. They travel really well - we saw it in England - and they just seem to adapt really well.
"If we can get a win and make it 2-2 I think that's a pretty good result against the best side in the world and what is a pretty inexperienced [Australian] side compared to previous years.
"Everyone's desperate and can't wait to try to rectify what's happened so far."
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