No easing in for India and Australia as their World Cup campaigns start at storied Chepauk

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“50-over World Cup is the biggest sporting event in cricketing history. So, for me, this is the biggest event that I will be part of.”

You may share this sentiment, expressed by Rohit Sharma on Saturday, however chances are you’ll not have seen an excessive amount of proof simply but that too many others do. Four matches in, we’re but to see something like a full home at this World Cup.

This will change on Sunday, in Chennai. You’ll know {that a} World Cup is happening. The air will crackle with anticipation, however there will be a tinge of tension too, for that is India’s first match in a house World Cup that they begin as favourites. It’s laborious to think about the strain a group can undergo in these conditions, and it will come as a reduction to India’s gamers when the umpires name “play”, and there is a ball to deal with, or a batter and a set of stumps on the different finish.

It’ll be a stern take a look at proper off the bat, as a result of they’re taking part in Australia, and is there something as spine-jellifying in sport because the prospect of dealing with Australia in a cricket World Cup? This Australian group is not the Australian group of 1999, 2003 or 2007, they usually aren’t a whole group both, missing most of all depth within the spin division, however you would be stunned in the event that they did not make the semi-finals at least. India will not face too many stronger oppositions on this event. They aren’t being eased into this in any respect.

Spin is predicted to be vastly influential at Chepauk, and India are higher outfitted in that regard, on paper, however they solely must go way back to March, after they misplaced to Australia on the identical venue, to comprehend it will not at all times translate into outcomes.

Chepauk, newly renovated, sports activities a sequence of murals commemorating the numerous historic moments it has witnessed. One is especially fascinating, and strange in a rustic that normally solely celebrates the achievements of its personal: Pakistan’s victorious group soaking in a standing ovation whereas happening a victory lap of Chepauk in 1999. This is a crowd recognized to understand good cricket irrespective of who performs it, in order that they’re assured time on Sunday, so long as the rain stays away.

Form information

India LWWWL (final 5 accomplished ODIs, most up-to-date first)
Australia WLLLL

In the highlight – Hardik Pandya and Glenn Maxwell

Back after being rested for the ODI sequence towards Australia, Hardik Pandya is probably crucial member of India’s line-up. Apart from the whole lot he brings to the desk with the bat, he is a real third seamer in white-ball cricket, his presence permitting India to select an additional seamer or spinner because the circumstances dictate. Much of their team-building worries over the previous few months have revolved round discovering methods to play six bowlers with out compromising batting depth; Hardik is the one man who makes it potential.

Picking a squad for Indian circumstances with just one frontline spinner is a threat, however for Australia it is barely much less of a threat as a result of Glenn Maxwell has turned himself into a real allrounder in ODIs. It’s a comparatively new improvement – he averaged 130.66 with the ball in 61 ODIs within the 2016-20 interval however has taken his wickets at 28.53 since then – and Australia can be glad his enchancment has coincided with this World Cup cycle. On a Chennai pitch that is anticipated to show, he could must bowl a full 10 overs.

Team news

Shubman Gill is recovering from dengue and is a uncertain starter. If he is not obtainable, Ishan Kishan is prone to open with Rohit. India could have a option to make of their center order, probably between Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav, and one other at No. 8, between R Ashwin and Shardul Thakur. Given Chepauk’s current historical past and the dry, black-soil pitch that has been rolled out for this sport, it is probably they’re going to go in with the third spinner in Ashwin.

India (possible XI): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill/Ishan Kishan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer/Suryakumar Yadav, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj

Marcus Stoinis is in a race towards time to get well from a hamstring damage, which implies Cameron Green is prone to take the principle seam-bowling allrounder’s slot. Alex Carey is ready to carry on to the protecting gloves forward of Josh Inglis.

Australia (possible XI): 1 David Warner, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Steven Smith, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Cameron Green, 6 Alex Carey (wk), 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Adam Zampa

Pitch and circumstances

A straw-coloured, black-soil pitch is prone to induce India to play three spinners. Chepauk tends to supply a good contest between bat and ball: the final eight first-innings scores in ODIs right here have ranged from 227 to 299, with the group batting first happening to win six instances.

The climate is prone to be muggy, with a forecast most of 33 levels Celsius. The North-East monsoon may deliver scattered showers within the night.

Stats and trivia

  • The MA Chidambaram Stadium has hosted seven World Cup video games. Australia have performed three of them and gained every time: they beat India by one run in a group-stage thriller and hammered Zimbabwe by 96 runs right here in 1987; then, within the quarter-finals of the 1996 version, they chased down 287 to see off New Zealand.

  • India have performed one different World Cup sport at Chepauk other than the 1987 loss to Australia. They beat West Indies by 80 runs right here throughout their run to the title in 2011.
  • India and Australia have met 12 instances in ODIs because the finish of the 2019 World Cup and gained six video games every.
  • Quotes

    “You heard the great man say so many times that you know, until he wins the World Cup, he’s got a bit of unfinished business. I’m sure you know who I’m talking about. So it’s the same for us as well. You want to win the World Cup, It’s the biggest prize that you can have in your career. But again, there’s a way to do it. There’s a procedure that you need to follow. There’s a process to it […] It’s good to be desperate. It’s good to be hungry. But you’ve got to find that balance, right? […] You cannot get way too ahead of yourself because that can lead into something that you don’t really wish for.”
    India captain Rohit Sharma throws in a Sachin Tendulkar (or Lionel Messi) reference to spotlight what this World Cup means to his group

    “I think the most exciting thing about a World Cup is it is a campaign. It does feel like you’re there with 14 other guys and you’re on a journey to try and make the next couple of months as special as it can be. So I love that. There’s no forward planning and you’re not trying to manage different formats now. We’re here for a World Cup and everyone’s fully focused on that. So, I’ve really enjoyed that and the boys have been awesome so far and yeah, it’s my third World Cup and first one as captain. They’re all really special.”
    Australia captain Pat Cummins

    Karthik Krishnaswamy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

    Source web site: www.espncricinfo.com

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