Australia vs India Preview: Formidable India to offer tougher test for firing Australia
- The Nightwatchman
- Jun 9, 2019
- 3 min read
The stage - The Oval - a fabled, historic venue which hosted the first-ever test on English soil back in 1880. The event - the World Cup - and the protagonists are India and Australia.
This is the real deal, the first major test of Australia's World Cup credentials. After surviving a scare against the West Indies on Thursday, Aaron Finch's men will be looking for a more solid performance against a much more fancied opponent.
It was only March this year in India where India let slip a 2-0 lead to lose the ODI series 3-2, and set Australia on a renaissance of dominance. Since then, they have gone undefeated, their streak now 10 matches long.
The Australian side oozes quality. Almost every member of their squad commands a place by just a pinch of his talent, performance and form. A batting line-up consisting of David Warner, Steve Smith, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, even the out of favour Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis and now Nathan Coulter-Nile, it is an impressive batting unit that see's Mitch Starc batting at 10.
Steve Smith since his return to international cricket has been the bulwark for the Aussie's, meeting others play around him.
The key for India will be to take early wicket which will give the spinners a good chance of controlling the middle overs. Remember, the Aussies toyed with Yuzendra Chalal and Kuldeep Yadav when they played in India last. If the likes of Warner and Finch are allowed to stay beyond the power play, it could be a leather-hunt kind of day for India.
The pitch, as Australian captain Aaron Finch said, should be good for batting. The surface looks bare with very little grass on it. A bigger factor is the weather. The Indian team has been dogged by overcast skies and intermittent rains over the past week or so. The forecast for match days is persistent cloud cover and a passing shower in the afternoon. Conditions will play a big role in how the game pans out.
The Aussies have a potent fast bowling attack, with Starc and Pat Cummins leading the way. Coming back from a long injury layoff, Starc showed he means business with a five-for against the West Indies on Thursday. The express paceman will have to be neutralised or else he can demolish a batting lineup. Cummins, an outstanding cricket, has had major success against India in both Tests and ODIs.
The Indian team had an optional training session on Saturday. Batsman KL Rahul had a long session in the nets while MS Dhoni too had a decent stint. India's last ODI at The Oval resulted in a humiliating 180-run loss to Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
WATCH OUT FOR - Steve Smith
Steve Smith, Virat Kohli's only challenger for best batsman in the world, will be looking to get one up on his Indian counterpart on Sunday. Smith has been in sublime form since returning to international cricket, and was unlucky in his dismissal against the West Indies. He will be looking to go big against India, a team he has had much success against in his career.
PREDICTION
India's top-order is vulnerable against swing bowling and expect a big showing from Starc and Cummins. Australia was found out against hostile bowling from the West Indies, though don't expect them to fail again. Australia has had the wood over India in World Cups, and with their side full of stars they will be too good for India.
Australia to win by 20-40 runs, 3-4 wickets STATISTICS HEAD TO HEAD ODI Matches: 136 Australia: 77
India: 49
HEAD TO HEAD IN WORLD CUPS
Matches: 11
Australia: 8
India: 3
WORLD CUP RECORDS
Australia
Matches: 86
Won: 64
Lost: 20
Tie: 1
Best Result - Winners (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015)
India
Matches: 76
Won: 47
Lost: 27
Best Result - Winners (1983, 2011)
ODI Record since World Cup 2015: Australia
Matches: 78
Won: 39 Lost: 36
India
Matches: 87
Won: 57 Lost: 27
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