Former great declares Waugh on line-up

Australian cricket great Steve Waugh has come up with a new-look XI for the SCG test as the home side look to save the series against India.

Waugh, the former Australian captain, revealed the batting line-up he believes the besieged Aussies should take into Sydney tomorrow in an Instagram post, which did not include Aaron Finch.

In Waugh’s reshaped XI, Shaun Marsh would replace Finch as Marcus Harris’ opening partner. Travis Head and Tim Paine would also be pushed up the order. Marnus Labuschagne would return at six, moving Mitch Marsh to the top of the tail.

Pat Cummins, who starred with bat and ball in a losing effort in Melbourne, remains at eight in Waugh’s XI — a position he’s happy with.

“I am pretty happy at No 8,” bowler cum batsman Cummins said yesterday in Sydney.

“It is a bit easier when I walk in and the bowlers have already bowled a few spells and the ball is a bit older. It is a much tougher job at the top of the order.”

Australian coach Justin Langer suggested conditions will dictate the team but he isn’t sure what to expect in Sydney.

“We’re interested to see what we’re going to get in Sydney . . . it has been a bit inconsistent,” Langer said.

“It was very flat [for India’s tour game] and it was very flat in the Sheffield Shield game there a few weeks ago.

“We certainly hope it’s not [flat]. You want to see a contest between bat and ball.”

India will make at least one change after batsman Rohit Sharma returned home after the birth of his first child.

Sharma left Melbourne shortly after India’s 137-run victory in the third test, where the middle-order batsman made 63 not out in the first innings, as the tourists took a 2-1 series lead and retained the BorderGavaskar trophy.

The 31-year-old will return to Sydney on January 8 for the start of a three-match ODI series that follows the final test.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya, Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay are the likely options to replace Sharma in the batting line-up as India seek to complete their first series victory in Australia.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, with four test centuries, is another option to replace Sharma on the expected spin-friendly SCG pitch.