The final time India squared off in opposition to Australia in an ODI on the Wankhede Stadium, in January 2020, the touring facet had a cakewalk – bagging a ten-wicket victory, with Aaron Finch and David Warner hammering unbeaten centuries.
Three years, three months and a COVID-induced lockdown later, the 2 groups are again on the identical venue for one more ODI. So much has modified since their final assembly – Finch has retired, India has handed on the captaincy baton to Rohit Sharma, and in addition there’s no Jasprit Bumrah.
And so as to add to India’s woes, Rohit – a real blue Mumbaikar – gained’t be accessible for Friday’s ODI on account of household commitments and in his absence, Hardik Pandya will step up because the chief.
Though he has been a daily captain within the T20I set-up, this shall be Pandya’s maiden task because the skipper of the ODI facet, and his management abilities shall be put to check in opposition to a high-profile and star-studded opponent.
In latest occasions, India performed a complete of six ODIs – three every in opposition to Sri Lanka and New Zealand – and got here out victorious in each event. And, these statistics will surely be of their thoughts, when the Indian cricketers take the sphere.
In the absence of Rohit, the main focus shall be on in-form opener Shubman Gill who’s all set to open with Ishan Kishan.
Coming off a cultured Test century in Ahmedabad final week, the teen has loved great success in ODIs – 567 runs and three centuries in his final six ODIs, with a median of 113.40. A packed Wankhede shall be pinning its hopes on the right-handed batter, whereas the seasoned Virat Kohli too garnering all the eye.
Leaving behind a lean patch, Kohli amassed 338 runs in six matches at a median of 67.60 and now with the tough patch behind him – after ending his barren run within the Test format, too, in opposition to the Aussies in Ahmedabad with a 186 – a much-relaxed Kohli can be hoping so as to add extra to the 75 a whole lot that he has already gathered in worldwide cricket. His duel with leggie Adam Zampa, who has dismissed him eight occasions, can be an fascinating watch.
This collection can be a possibility for the struggling KL Rahul, who the group administration indicated, shall be given an extended rope as its most well-liked wicketkeeper-batter. Despite struggling to transform the begins and dropping his spot from the Test squad for the final two fixtures in opposition to Australia, Rahul had scores of 73, 14 and eight in Bangladesh, whereas placing up 39, 64 and seven in opposition to Sri Lanka, at No.5 within the ODIs. And, he shall be hoping to search out his mojo in opposition to the mighty Aussies, who haven’t performed any ODI for the reason that starting of this 12 months.
The visiting group, nevertheless, hopes to get into the groove as a preparatory floor for the ODI World Cup, to be held in India later this 12 months. For that, the all-rounders want to return good.
“It will be a high-scoring World Cup, you’d think if the wickets are good. From my experience, it’s nice to have options and important to have options to go to change things up and change the momentum of the batting team. More all-rounders the better,” stated Mitchell Marsh.
The Aussies will really feel the absence of their common captain Pat Cummins, who misplaced his mom final week, however shall be aiming to zero in on its mixture for the World Cup, underneath the management of the much-experienced Steve Smith.
Marsh, coming back from an extended damage lay-off, won’t be bowling within the collection, whereas for David Warner, who sustained an elbow damage throughout Test collection, it will likely be a problem to regain his misplaced contact and cement his place .
This collection offers the Aussies an opportunity to play in three completely different venues – Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Chennai – with different circumstances, and underneath a wily Smith’s management, the group hopes to be taught as a lot as attainable when it comes to dealing with the stress and assessing the circumstances – an expertise, they really feel, shall be helpful forward of the World Cup.
In the absence of Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj will look to take advantage of the chance, whereas the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who bowled in tandem within the nets, shall be hoping to keep up their dominance in white-ball cricket. In the final 5 matches, Kuldeep claimed 11 wickets.
A dominant present within the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy has boosted the house group’s confidence—time to maintain the momentum going within the shorter format, too.
IND vs AUS 1st ODI squads
India: Hardik Pandya (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Okay L Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd Shami, Mohd Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat.
Australia: Steven Smith (captain), David Warner, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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