SYDNEY
\nAustralia opted on Tuesday against playing a second spinner in the final Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, naming an unchanged line-up for David Warner\u2019s farewell match.
\nSkipper Pat Cummins confirmed Australia\u2019s fast-bowling trio had all recovered well from the second Test in Melbourne four days ago after clinching the three-match series with a tense 79-run win.
\nPakistan have made two changes.
\nThere is a Test debut for Saim Ayub, who will open the innings replacing Imamul Haq while senior fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out for off-spinner Sajid Khan.
\n\u201cYou always have to look at the bigger picture after a game like the MCG. We\u2019ve learned the lessons, at least we\u2019ve put ourselves in those positions from where we could compete in or dominate games,\u201d skipper Shan Masood said on Tuesday.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s now about not repeating mistakes, and if we can put in similar efforts to the one in Melbourne, we\u2019ll be winning a lot of Tests,\u201d Shan said.
\nThe SCG has a reputation for taking turns, but the hosts did not consider bringing a second spinner into the team to partner Nathan Lyon, Cummins said.
\nThe pitch looked well-grassed on the eve of the Green Shirts\u2019 final match of their Australia tour, which will also be opener Warner\u2019s 112th and final Test.
\n\u201cThe weather looks pretty good this week and that\u2019s not always the case in Sydney,\u201d Cummins said ahead of the Test, starting on Wednesday.
\n\u201cThe groundsman seems happy with where it\u2019s at. It looks like decent coverage of grass, so it should be a good week ahead,\u201d he said.
\nThe Sydney Test has a history of being rain-affected with 26 washed-out days, the most of the Australian Test venues. But there is only a medium chance of showers this week.
\nMeanwhile, Warner made a public plea for the return of his baggy green caps after they went missing from his bag while being transported from Melbourne.
\nIn a post on Instagram, the veteran said some of his possessions got lost in transit.
\nSomeone has taken my backpack out of my luggage from Melbourne to Sydney [\u2026] inside this backpack was my Baggy Green cap,\u201d Warner said.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s something that I would love to have back in my hands walking out there this week,\u201d he said.
\nAfter months of speculation about his place in the team, Warner will get the send-off he desired in his home city after scores of 164, 0, 38 and six in the Pakistan series so far.
\n\u201cBest-case scenario is a (Warner) hundred and maybe a leg-spinner to take the last wicket of the game out of the rough,\u201d Cummins said.
\n\u201cIf he could score some runs and go off in style with a few fours and sixes, I think that\u2019d be a pretty fitting end. \u2018Warner Week\u2019 has started,\u201d the Australian skipper said.
\nWarner, 37, goes into his final Test having plundered 8,695 runs at an average of 44.58, with 26 centuries and 36 half-centuries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SYDNEY Australia opted on Tuesday against playing a second spinner in the final Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, naming an unchanged line-up for David Warner\u2019s farewell match. Skipper Pat Cummins confirmed Australia\u2019s fast-bowling trio had all recovered well from the second Test in Melbourne four days ago after clinching the three-match series […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378434,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-378421","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n