India's strongest XI for the Sydney Test

So, we are down to the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Virat Kohli's men at the cusp of achieving what no India team has ever achieved ever since they first toured Australia in 1947, win a Test series Down Under.

The final Test at Sydney will also end India's epic 12-Test odyssey, and they would dearly like to cap it off with a series win after heart-wrenching disappointments in South Africa and England.

Those disappointments in England and South Africa and also in Perth wasn't down to the opposition outplaying the Indians but a major reason for those defeats was down to the team management's inability to read the playing conditions.

At Perth, India made the mistake of playing an all-seam attack which backfired substantially as Nathan Lyon gave a match-winning performance to rout India by 140 runs, which is what brings the nature of Sydney pitch and the playing 11.

The pitch at Sydney is most conducive to spin bowling and it will interesting to see what playing 11 India fields at the SCG.

India's record at the SCG: P- 11 W- 1 L- 5 D- 5

Here's a look at the strongest playing 11 India can field at the SCG.

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Openers: Hanuma Vihari & Mayank Agarwal

In Melbourne, we saw just how a potent opening partnership that wears out the shine of the new ball can go a long way in laying a platform for the middle-order.

He may have just eight runs to show against his name, but Hanuma Vihari, along with debutant Mayank Agarwal gave India's middle-order a cushion by blunting out close to 16 overs in the first innings at Melbourne.

While Vihari was cautious in his approach, Agarwal was the dominant partner of the two, unleashing sublime drives off the quicks before unsettling Nathan Lyon by shimming down the track besides employing the sweep shot to register his maiden fifty in Test cricket.

Both Vihari and Agarwal are set to open again at the SCG.

Middle-Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane

Pujara and Kohli stitched a match-winning 170-run stand at the MCG

India's middle-order cashed in big time on the platform laid by the openers. Pujara, in this typical manner, scored his second ton of the series and along with skipper Virat Kohli, stitched a 170-run stand for the third wicket to help India set a formidable first innings total.

Ajinkya Rahane has looked in good touch throughout the series and has registered two fifties thus far. He looked good during his 34 at MCG and will be desperate to sign off the series with a three-figure score; something which he hasn't done since August 2017.

All-rounder and Wicketkeeper

With 19 dismissals, Rishabh Pant is equal with Syed Kirmani and Naren Tamhane for an Indian wicket-keeper with most dismissals in a series. While his banter with Tim Paine has been garnering headlines, his glovework sans spinners has been top notch.

With the SCG track conducive to spin bowling Rohit Sharma out of contention for the fourth Test, India might go in with a two-fold spin attack and rest one of their seamers, which brings Hardik Pandya into contention. The Baroda all-rounder is coming off an injury layoff but has shown good form in Ranji Trophy where he claimed five wickets and also scored a fifty. Pandya can be used as third seaming option of Indid decide to go in with two spinners.

Spinners: Ravi Ashwin & Ravindra Jadeja

India might field a two-field spin attack at the SCG

Virat Kohli alluded in the post-match presser at Melbourne that R Ashwin was close to being match fit. With Jadeja making good use of the rough patches at Melbourne plus the Sydney pitch expected to turn, India might rest one of their seamers and play two spinners which will also add depth to their batting unit.

Fast Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami/Ishant Sharma

Bumrah put in a match-winning performance at the MCG

2018 was a watershed year for the Indian bowlers. The trio of Mohammad Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah claimed 136 wickets across the three tours of South Africa, England and Australia to bamboozle the opposition batters and keep their side in the game even as their batters undo their efforts more often than not.

But, it is also true that the seamers have bowled a lot of overs, especially in the physically demanding Australian conditions. With the Sydney track set to offer turn and R Ashwin returning to full fitness, India might be tempted to rest one of their seamers.

Jasprit Bumrah claimed 9-81 across both innings at the MCG to help India regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and is certainly likely to spearhead the pace attack at the SCG.

That means, India might rest one of Mohammad Shami or Ishant Sharma, who have bowled a lot of overs during their sides' epic 12-Test odyssey.