News Sports Cricket Aus vs Ind: Australia wins toss, bats 1st in 3rd test vs India

Aus vs Ind: Australia wins toss, bats 1st in 3rd test vs India

Melbourne, Australia: Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat first in the third cricket test in warm and sunny conditions Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.Batsman Joe Burns makes his test

aus vs ind australia wins toss bats 1st in 3rd test vs india aus vs ind australia wins toss bats 1st in 3rd test vs india

Melbourne, Australia: Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat first in the third cricket test in warm and sunny conditions Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Batsman Joe Burns makes his test debut for Australia in place of the injured Mitch Marsh at No. 6 in the batting order, while paceman Ryan Harris replaces the injured Mitchell Starc.

India also made two changes, handing Lokesh Rahul his first test cap to replace Varun Aaron, and Mohammed Shami came in for Rohit Sharma.

Australia can clinch the four-test series and reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a win or draw in Melbourne after a 48-run win in the first test and a four-wicket victory last week in the second test at Brisbane.

"It looks a pretty good track so hopefully we can start well this morning," Smith said.

___

Lineups:

Australia: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith (captain), Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, M.S. Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.