Captain Rohit Sharma would be looking forward to a perfect culmination of the Indian team’s World Cup preparations as the hosts eye a rare clean win over Australia in the third and final ODI here on Wednesday. Never before in history have India whitewashed Australia in the ODI format. In fact, neither has achieved such a result, home or away, regardless of the number of matches played in a series. Considering how perfectly everything has worked out for the World Cup hosts in the run-up to the mega tournament, it would only be fitting if India finished on a deserved 3-0 scoreline.
The dominant Indian team, despite the absence of frontline players and still tinkering with playing combinations to ensure every member has had game time, is in pole position to record a fourth consecutive ODI win before the quadrennial event starts.
Should they manage to complete a 3-0 win, India would also have secured a huge upper hand over five-time world champions Australia before the two teams meet again in Chennai on October 8 for their World Cup opener.
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that India battered Australia in the first two ODIs despite both rivals making plenty of changes to keep their top guns fresh, while also putting miles into the legs of those who wouldn’t normally be in the first choice XIs would feature. .
However, there could be some reprieve for the Australian bowlers as India have rested their young gun Shubman Gill for the final ODI after his 74 and 104 in the first two matches along with Shardul Thakur.
In the 50-over World Cup year, Gill is the only batsman in the format with a thousand runs and counting – 1,230 runs to be precise at a staggering average of 72.35 – and his absence in the final match would certainly be felt.
But Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to return, as are the in-form Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya from a short rest in which KL Rahul has led admirably.
Faced with some tough questions about squad composition, players’ form, fitness and availability, India have turned the tide and how.
That India would end up with a glut problem was something that was not anticipated when the team started the Asia Cup campaign a few weeks ago. But the likes of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Shami and even Mohammed Siraj have transformed this Indian unit into as formidable a unit as can be.
He took some time to get going and again struggled with his back-related issues, but Shreyas Iyer took advantage of perfect batting conditions in Indore to record a century, which will also consolidate his position in the middle order.
Much to the delight of the Indian camp, Rahul delivered the goods on the bat and behind the stumps at the most opportune time.
Like Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah has also proven his fitness and form in a few matches after a long spell of injury. After resting from the second ODI, India’s best bowler is available for selection.
Even though the team management seems to be in favor of the injured Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, the senior-most member of the Indian squad, would like to make this opportunity count before the contingent is finalized for the World Cup.
It is not often for Australia that they flop as miserably with both the bat and ball in India with the white ball as they did in the first two ODIs. The visitors need to collect themselves as the wheels seem to be coming off soon after five straight defeats in ODIs.
A few months ago, the same side defeated India 2-1, with Mitchell Starc haunting the Indian right-handers with his perfect in-swingers.
With one final match to go before the World Cup begins, Australia would be tempted to play their favored bowling attack with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc coming on as substitute, even if the batting lacks the firepower of Travis Head at the top and Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne does not. enjoying a successful year of cricket in India across formats.
Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar.
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Short, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
Time: 1:30 PM IST.
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