Toss Australia chose to bat vs South Africa
Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood and Matthew Renshaw have been named in a new-look Australia line-up as captain Pat Cummins elected to bat against South Africa in the third Test at the SCG.
On a dry pitch, Australia selected a four-pronged attack and will field two spinners for the first time in a home Test in six years.
Agar will play his first home Test, having played the last of his four matches in 2017 in Bangladesh.
Regular quick Hazlewood returns from a side strain having edged out cult favourite Scott Boland, who has taken 28 wickets at 12.21 from six Tests.
Renshaw has not played a Test since 2018 but will bat at No.6, having mostly batted as an opener in his previous 11 Test matches. His sole century was against Pakistan at the SCG in 2017.
Quick Mitchell Starc and allrounder Cameron Green were ruled out after both suffered broken fingers during the second Test at the MCG.
South Africa selected offspinner Simon Harmer in place of quick Lungi Ngidi and batter Heinrich Klaasen replaced Theunis de Bruyn, who returned home for the birth of his first child.
Australia are seeking a clean sweep of the series with victory in Sydney, barring points deductions, to secure a place in the World Test Championship final in June.
They are also eyeing an unbeaten Test home summer having earlier beaten West Indies in Perth and Adelaide.
A struggling South Africa have suffered their first Test-series defeat in Australia since 2005-06. But they have plenty at stake with a consolation victory to keep alive their slim chances of making the WTC final.
Conditions in Sydney are overcast and muggy, with showers forecast in the afternoon and evening.
It is the first Test between the countries at the SCG since 2009, with South Africa’s famous five-run win in 1994 their only victory at the venue from 10 previous matches.
Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Matt Renshaw. 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood.
South Africa: 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Heinrich Klaasen, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Khaya Zondo, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Simon Harmer, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Anrich Nortje
Tristan Lavalette is a journalist based in Perth