imageSYDNEY: Australia won the toss and chose to bat in the fourth and final Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

India, who have already lost the series, made four changes with Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha and Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming into the side.

The tourists left out opener Shikhar Dhawan with Lokesh Rahul promoted to open the innings, Sharma replacing Cheteshwar Pujara and Saha for the newly-retired M.S. Dhoni at wicketkeeper, while Kumar came in for paceman Ishant Sharma.

The Australians made only one change with Mitchell Starc replacing injured paceman Mitchell Johnson.

Virat Kohli is India's new captain following the sudden Test retirement of Dhoni after last week's Melbourne Test.

India have already lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with Australia holding an unassailable 2-0 lead, but there is much interest in how Kohli's aggression will impact on the team's fortunes.

India have won only one of their last 22 Tests overseas and have been successful in only one of their 10 Tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground, that sole victory coming 37 years ago.

Teams

Australia - David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India - Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

TV umpire: Simon Fry (AUS)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2014

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