While the two sides will lock horns in their World Cup opener in Chennai in three weeks, India and Australia are riding on contrasting waves of fortune and concerns ahead of their brief tussle.
Fresh from recovering its international supremacy with the Asia Cup title palm, India will aim to iron out a many further wrinkles when it takes on Australia in a three- match ODI series, beginning at the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Friday.
While the two sides will lock cornucopias in their World Cup nature in Chennai in three weeks, India and Australia are riding on differing swells of fortune and enterprises ahead of their brief hassle.
With India resting heavyweights Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya for the first two games, the operation has emphasised precluding overexertion and injuries before the World Cup, a problem that has overran the Australian camp.
Rather, the home platoon’s focus will be on the middle- order, which is yet to take shape.
Shreyas Iyer, who missed considerable gametime during the Asia Cup with a niggle, will be watched nearly. Considered to be the answer to India’s middle- overs struggles against spin bowling, Iyer has yet to take guard against the tweakers upon his return from a back injury and has featured in just five of the 18 ODIs that India has played this time.
Nonetheless, the template could be slightly different in this series with fur belters anticipated across the venues.
Iyer and stand- in commander KL Rahul could look to push on the scoring rate by a many notches in the middle- overs — India is fifth (5.58 rpo) among all sides in the phase in 2023.
A shakeup could be on the cards if India offers a serious exercise for stager off- incentive R. Ashwin, returning to the ODI fold for the first time since January 2022 after an injury to Axar Patel.
While Ashwin and fellow off- incentive Washington Sundar have been named buttresses for the World Cup, the brace could force a rethink on India’s third- choice incentive, behind left- armers Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja.
Meanwhile, entering the contest after a surcharging 3- 2 series defeat in South Africa, Australia will aim to strengthen indispensable plans to firm up its balance.
The platoon welcomes the return of Pat Cummins and Steve Smith from injuries. still, the Australia captain verified on match dusk that Mitchell Starc (groin soreness) will miss the nature. Glenn Maxwell and Ashton Agar, on maternity leave, are yet to link up with the team, while a many others are carrying niggles of varying degrees.
Australia will also draw confidence from its history performances at the venue- a five- match winning band- and its comeback 2- 1 palm over the host back in March.
A full- strength India pace attack piloted by Jasprit Bumrah could still anticipate a depleted Aussie lineup to come hard with the club and make utmost of the conditions where 300- plus summations have been the norm over the last decade. Know More Latest Cricket News…
THE SQUADS
INDIA
KL Rahul (c, wk), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar.
AUSTRALIA
Pat Cummins (c), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott, Matthew Short, Spencer Johnson, Tanveer Sangha.
