An enthralling Border-Gavaskar series comes to a head on Sydney’s famed SCG turf in a match that will decide if the trophy remains with India, or is handed to Australia for the first time in eight years.

India stunned the Aussies to win the opening tie in Perth but the visitors have battled since the return of maligned skipper Rohit Sharma.

Australia won in Adelaide and Melbourne, and could be 3-1 up if not for Brisbane’s weather spoiling the third match.

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Ahead of what will be one of the biggest matches Down Under in years, we answer the most burning questions.

WHY IS THE SYDNEY RESULT SO IMPORTANT?

With the Border-Gavaskar series now played over five matches, many believe it is equal in standing – if not higher – than the Ashes between Australia and England.

And the large number of Indian cricket fans who have been attending the matches so far make for a pretty even split of support inside the stadiums, which has resulted in an atmosphere that not even the Ashes can match.

This current Australian team has been outstanding for many years, but India has won the last four Test series against them.

Bringing the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy Down Under would be a mighty achievement, and especially ahead of England travelling to these shores for an Ashes series later in the year.

India has to win in Sydney to draw the series 2-2 and retain the trophy, while Australia can win or settle for a draw.

The result also has ramifications for the World Test Championship.

Australia beat India in the WTC’s last final in 2023, but South Africa has already secured its spot in the final this time around.

The Aussies can nab the second spot in the 2025 WTC final if they win this match in Sydney.

If the match is a draw, Australia can still make the final depending on their results against Sri Lanka.

India has to win this match to remain in contention for the WTC final, and then it would come down to results from Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is the only other nation in contention for the WTC final spot.

WILL AUSTRALIA MAKE ANY CHANGES?

Selectors are typically hesitant to change a winning team, but George Bailey has to make a call on out-of-sorts Mitchell Marsh.

The veteran all-rounder has contributed little aside from a couple of neat catches in three of the four matches so far this series.

He is only in the team due to Cameron Green’s back problems, but it’s clear to the Australian public Marsh’s days as a Test cricketer are over.

Marsh is a highly popular member of the Australian dressing room and Bailey is often accused of being too close to the players.

The criticism will come thick and fast for Bailey if he refuses to axe Marsh and bring Beau Webster in for his Test debut.

The other option is Australia adds a fifth specialist bowler to the team in Sean Abbott or Jhye Richardson.

Mitchell Starc will likely get picked despite an injury niggle, but it would be disastrous if he was to break down mid-match and leave Australia a bowler short at the SCG, where India has batted them into oblivion before.

Abbott’s home ground is the SCG and he could be brought in to make his debut.

WILL INDIA AXE THE SKIPPER?

It is almost unthinkable that a captain could be dropped mid-series, but India is being urged to do so with Rohit Sharma.

He missed the first Test and India was superb under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah to win the match.

Since Sharma has returned he has returned scores of 3, 6, 10, 3, and 9, and some of his dismissals have looked awfully ugly.

If his batting is bad, his captaincy has been worse.

Commentators have been left gobsmacked at some of the field placements – or lack thereof – that have let Australia’s batters score at will.

Virat Kohli appeared to take over in Melbourne and some clever field placements and bowling plans led to some wicket chances.

India still has prodigious talent Shubman Gill in the squad who could come in at No.3 and allow the in-form KL Rahul to return to the top of the batting order for India.

WILL WE SEE A RETIREMENT AFTER THE MATCH?

We’ve already seen one retirement this series, with Indian spinner Ravi Ashwin bizarrely calling it quits midway through the tour.

And there are a number of ageing players who could yet join him in retirement as early as next week.

The aforementioned Sharma is closing in on his 38th birthday and his form has been in rapid decline.

There is plenty of speculation he won’t play beyond the SCG match, even if he is selected to play in Sydney.

His superstar teammate Virat Kohli is 36 and is also struggling to find form, albeit he scored a rare century in the second innings in Perth.

Aussie fans have almost certainly seen the last of those two players on these shores.

On the Australian side, opener Usman Khawaja is 38 and has struggled to find runs this series, leading to suggestions his career is coming to an end.

The trouble is Australia found it hard enough to replace his former partner David Warner this summer, and with an Ashes series looming the team will be hoping Khawaja sticks around for another 12 months.

WHO WILL BE PLAYER OF THE SERIES?

At this stage there is a clear frontrunner for the honour – India’s supreme fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

He has carried his team throughout the series so far, taking 30 polls at a ridiculous 12.83 to have Australia’s batters shaking in their boots.

While he’s had little help from teammates, and India may well lose the series 3-1, Bumrah has without a doubt been the standout player of the series.

Having said that, it is likely the voting panel will lean towards an Aussie if the hosts do take the series 3-1, in an effort to avoid too much controversy.

Captain Pat Cummins has been superb, taking 20 wickets at 22.65 and also contributing with the bat on more than one occasion.

If it goes to a batter, Travis Head and Steve Smith each have two centuries – but this series has been defined by bowlers more than it has batters, and Bumrah and Cummins have stood out.