India vs Australia | Sourav Ganguly questions Hardik Pandya exclusion from Sydney Test

India got off to a magnificent start in the series finale against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday as they posted an impressive 303/4 at the end of Day 1. The visitors were left in a selection dilemma ahead of the crucial encounter due to injury problems to Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin in the build-up to the the final Test. However, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was left baffled by a few team selections for the last match of the series. Ganguly revealed his astonishment at the exclusion of all-rounder Hardik Pandya and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar in his column for TOI.

"I am surprised not to see Hardik Pandya in the 13 as he adds value with both bat and ball and would have been the third seam option as well. I am also surprised that Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not been brought in especially with Ishant unfit.

"While Australia have a lot of issues to settle in the squad, injuries to Ashwin and Ishant have also given India a headache regarding their team combination. With KL Rahul back in the squad, Hanuma Vihari will go back to No. 6 as Rohit Sharma has returned home. Suddenly, India find they are missing a few players, and need to juggle the batting line-up," Ganguly wrote for TOI.

India currently lead the four-match series 2-1 and remain firm favourites to make it 3-1 at the SCG. in doing so, the win will take Indian captain Virat Kohli ahead of Ganguly, who led India to 11 victories in 28 overseas Tests. Kohli has matched that record in 24 overseas Tests and this will also be India’s first Test series victory on Australian soil.

"This is a huge match for both sides, more so for India as they are on the threshold of winning for the first time in Australia. After their win at Perth, Melbourne was a massive downward slide for Australia with India dominating all five days and winning comprehensively. Coincidentally, the team that has won the toss and batted first has come out ahead in each match. It's a no-brainer that the side winning the toss will have a big advantage at Sydney as well.

"There is a lot of talk about the SCG pitch; I am told that there is a fair bit of grass and that's obviously to stop it from breaking. The MCG was also dry, but was not unplayable, so India will have to be very careful when choosing the second spinner. Australia has included another, the allrounder Marnus Labuschagne, though I do not see them playing a second spinner there. Perhaps his being good enough to bat in the top six will get him into the XI," the former India captain added.