Australia vs India 3rd ODI 2025: Preview & Prediction – October 25, 04:30 GMT

Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Match Time: 04:30 GMT / 09:30 AM IST / 02:30 PM AEDT
Format: ODI (50 Overs)

Match Context

The final installment of the 2025 ODI series between India and Australia is set to take place at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia has already taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, with India showing glimpses of promise but lacking consistency. The Men in Blue will be desperate to avoid a historic whitewash on Australian soil, while the hosts will look to complete the job in emphatic fashion.

Team Form & Players to Watch

Australia:

Despite missing key players such as Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell, Australia has been in dominant form. The team has shown adaptability and depth, with players like Mitchell Marsh, Adam Zampa, and Xavier Bartlett stepping up in crucial moments.

• Mitchell Marsh (C): The captain has been in red-hot form, averaging 47.25 and striking at 103.7 in ODIs over the past three years.
• Adam Zampa: The leg-spinner has been instrumental, taking 45 wickets at 26.8 in the last two years.
• Xavier Bartlett: The emerging all-rounder has taken 15 wickets in five ODI games, making a big impact in the middle overs.

India:

India has struggled with the bat and ball in the first two ODIs, but there have been notable performances from Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel. However, the team's inconsistency, especially in chasing, has cost them dearly.

• Rohit Sharma: The veteran opener has been in good form, averaging 52.2 in Australia with five centuries.
• Shreyas Iyer: The vice-captain has adapted well at number four, averaging 51.2 with a strike rate of 98.
• Kuldeep Yadav: The leg-spinner is expected to play, as suggested by ex-India player Aakash Chopra, who believes the pitch at SCG is slightly spin-friendly.

Venue Insights: Sydney Cricket Ground

The Sydney Cricket Ground has been a challenging venue for visiting teams in recent years. The pitch tends to favor the batting side, with average first-innings scores around 258-280. Notably, all games at SCG since 2020 have been won by the side batting first, making the toss a crucial moment.

• Powerplay (Overs 1–10): 2.75 wickets
• Middle Overs (Overs 11–40): 4.50 wickets
• Death Overs (Overs 41–50): 2.67 wickets

Given the trend, batting first is the preferred strategy at SCG.

Head-to-Head (Last 5 Matches)

• Australia: 3 wins
• India: 2 wins

Australia has the upper hand in recent encounters, winning two of the three ODIs in this series, both by significant margins.

Prediction & Key Insights

Toss Prediction:

• India is predicted to win the toss and choose to bat first, given the current form of their top order and the nature of the SCG pitch.

Match Prediction:

While India will be determined to avoid a series whitewash, Australia is expected to maintain its dominance. With a balanced lineup and strong form, the hosts are likely to clinch the series with a 2-1 win.

Top Performers (Predicted):

• Top Batter: Rohit Sharma (India) / Travis Head (Australia)
• Top Bowler: Axar Patel (India) / Josh Hazlewood (Australia)
• Most Sixes: Rohit Sharma (India) / Travis Head (Australia)
• Player of the Match: Travis Head (Australia)

Final Scores (Predicted):

• India (Batting First): 250+
• Australia (Batting First): 260+

Expert Commentary

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has emphasized the need for India to bring in an extra batter at No. 8 to stabilize the innings, especially with Virat Kohli struggling in form and bowler-friendly conditions. Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion could be pivotal, particularly on a slightly spin-friendly SCG pitch.

Meanwhile, Simpson’s Prediction on Instagram has India to win by 2 wickets, offering a ray of hope for the visitors, but the general consensus among experts leans in favor of Australia completing the series in dominant fashion.

Conclusion

The third ODI at Sydney Cricket Ground promises to be a thrilling encounter. India will need to play their best cricket if they are to avoid a historic whitewash in Australia. However, with Australia in fine form and the conditions favoring the batters, the hosts are strong favorites to retain the series.

Prediction: Australia by 7 wickets
Toss Winner: India
Man of the Match: Travis Head
Final Score: Australia 265/8, India 258/9
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