Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma is all set to open the innings while KL Rahul will bat at No. 3 against Australia in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, according to Times Of India. The report claimed that Rohit will return as an opener after batting at No. 6 in the past two matches. However, no clarity was provided regarding Shubman Gill‘s position in the batting order. The report further claimed that India are considering playing two spinners with Washington Sundar partnering Ravindra Jadeja. In that case, Nitish Kumar Reddy will miss out despite doing well in the bat in the ongoing five-match Test series.

Meanwhile, Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc is just five scalps away from completing 700 international wickets and he will become only fourth Australian bowler after spinner Shane Warne (1,001 scalps), Glenn McGrath (949 scalps) and Brett Lee (718 scalps) to achieve this milestone.

In 284 international matches, Starc has taken 695 scalps at an average of 25.67, with best figures of 6/28 and 24 five-wicket hauls to his name.

Test cricket is his best format, having taken 372 scalps in 92 matches at an average of 27.55, with best figures of 6/48 and 15 five-wicket hauls. He is Australia’s fourth-highest wicket-taker in this format.

In 127 ODIs, he has taken 244 scalps at an average of 23.40, with best figures of 6/28. He has taken nine five-wicket hauls in the format. In this format as well, Starc is Australia’s fourth-highest wicket-taker.

In 65 T20Is, he has taken 79 scalps at an average of 23.81, with best figures of 4/20. Next to spinner Adam Zampa (117), he is the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia in this format.

Starc’s wickets have earned Australia some big Test wins, two ICC Cricket World Cups in 2015 and 2023, the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and the ICC World Test Championship match last year.

Starc is also one wicket away from completing 100 international wickets against India, becoming only third Australian player besides Lyon and Lee and overall 14th player to do so. In 45 matches, he has 99 wickets against India at an average of 33.51 with best figures of 6/51. He has three five-wicket hauls against India. James Anderson of England has the highest international wickets against India, with 189 scalps in 72 matches. For Australia, it is Lyon with 128 scalps in 38 matches.

(With ANI inputs)