Australia seek new dawn in Adelaide

After two lopsided results in a surprisingly one-sided series, the day-night third Test between Australia and South Africa at the Adelaide Oval) is essentially a dead rubber. There shouldn't be much riding on it after the Proteas absolutely eviscerated a beleaguered Australia in Perth and Hobart. To the contrary, there is plenty of intrigue and fascination over the series finale with a swirl of controversy hovering over both teams.

Australia has been in full blown crisis after suffering a humiliating innings and 80 runs thrashing in Hobart. Ramifications ensued with Rod Marsh, chairman of selectors, falling on his sword and replaced on the panel on an interim basis by Trevor Hohns. The new-look panel, which also has Greg Chappell as one of the selectors, acted savagely by cutting half of the squad in a desperate search for renewal.

Youngsters Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson have all been inserted into Australia's misfiring batting-order and will make their Test debuts. Steven Smith ruled out a fourth debutant by announcing that Jackson Bird has been included in the eleven, which means that Chadd Sayers will have to wait for his maiden Test cap.

Matthew Wade, who played 13 Tests from 2012-13, has been recalled as wicketkeeper for Peter Nevill because of his prowess with the bat. The Victorian hasn't played Test cricket for more than three years due to a belief that his 'keeping is susceptible'. Wade's Test batting average of almost 35, compared to Nevill's 22, proved irresistible and he may be needed with Australia fielding such an inexperienced batting line-up.

After such a disastrous start to the summer, continuing prolonged misery that started at the World T20 in April, Australian cricket desperately needs a fillip. Steve Smith, whose fledgling captaincy is now feeling the strains of pressure, will hope his precocious youngsters can provide a tonic in a desperate bid to avoid becoming the first Australian Test team to ingloriously be whitewashed on home soil.

Meanwhile, South Africa's dream tour suddenly took a nasty turn when a TV footage showed Faf du Plessis, the South African captain, applying saliva to the ball with a lolly in his mouth during the second Test. It started a furore and tensions boiled over with South Africa's head of security manhandling a television reporter at Adelaide Airport on Monday (November 21).

After a three-hour hearing on Tuesday (November 22), du Plessis was found guilty but escaped suspension. It means South Africa is likely to field the same team that routed Australia in Hobart with struggling opener Stephen Cook likely to hold his spot.

Once again, South Africa, playing their first pink-ball Test, will be relying on their trio of probing pacemen to trouble Australia's wobbly batting line-up, while left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj could loom large if the match goes the distance.

Both teams, for vastly different reasons, are under siege and it will be intriguing to see how they respond to the adversity. Almost lost amid the controversy is that the match will be played with a pink ball and under lights, 12 months since the highly successful inaugural day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand at the same ground.

Low crowds have blighted the opening two Tests but the day-night spectacle is likely to ensure the Adelaide Oval is close to capacity. Curator Damian Hough is confident the pitch will be friendlier for batting after last year's Test lasted less than three days as the pink ball wickedly menaced, particularly under lights.

When: Thursday November 24, 2016. 2:00 PM localWhere: Adelaide Oval, AdelaideWhat to expect: Perfect, sunny conditions are likely for the duration of the Test. Adelaide Oval is traditionally a batting paradise but the pink ball under lights adds a different dynamic, with the ball thoroughly dominating bat in the inaugural day-night Test 12 months ago.

Team News:

Australia: Australia have made as many as five changes to the eleven that played in the Hobart Test. Renshaw, Handscomb and Maddinson will make their maiden Test appearances, while Wade and Bird are also part of the eleven.

South Africa: With du Plessis escaping suspension, South Africa is likely to be unchanged from the team that won in Hobart.

Did you know?

- South Africa has not won at the Adelaide Oval since readmission from four tries (two losses). Their last win on the ground was in 1964.

- The last time Australia played three debutants was in late 2011 at the Gabba, when David Warner, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson played against New Zealand.

- If Sayers plays, Australia will have four debutants for the first time since 1978.

- If Australia plays four debutants, they would have given out 52 debuts in the past nine years. From 1999-2007, during their golden era, Australia had only 18 debutants.

- Australia hasn't lost three consecutive Tests at home since 1988-89 against the West Indies. They have never been whitewashed in a home Test series.

What they said:

"We have got a mandate to change, we have done that, now it's a case of getting these guys to play good cricket."- Darren Lehmann

"The goal was always to win the series, however that came about; now we sit with an opportunity to win 3-0, so that's the new goal."- JP Duminy

Squads

Australia: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nic Maddinson, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, John Hazelwood, Nathan Lyon, Chadd Sayers, Jackson Bird.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Stephen Cook, Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dwaine Pretorius, Dane Vilas.