Clear edge: Rahul getting again amongst runs augurs properly for India, as his wicketkeeping gives high quality steadiness to the facet.
| Picture Credit score: Emmanual Yogini
India will look to wrap up the ODI sequence in opposition to Australia when the 2 sides meet right here on the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium for the second ODI on Sunday.
Within the sequence opener in Mumbai, the hosts fought again after dropping the early momentum in each levels of the match to publish a five-wicket win and go 1-0 up within the three-match sequence.
Common skipper Rohit Sharma will take over the reins from Hardik Pandya after lacking the primary recreation for private causes. His return will bolster the highest order which struggled in opposition to Mitchell Starc’s fiery spell on Friday. Ishan Kishan is prone to make manner.
Essential half
The continuing sequence is a vital a part of the preparations for the World Cup later this yr in India, and the Males in Blue can take coronary heart from the actual fact there have been some shiny spots after the primary match.
In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj rose to the event with three wickets every. Notably, 5 of the six had been through the center overs, which triggered the Aussie collapse.
With the bat, Ok.L. Rahul guided India to victory with a properly crafted unbeaten 75 when the facet was in bother at 16 for 3. The Karnataka batter holds the important thing for the staff’s possibilities within the quadrennial occasion as a wicketkeeper-batter within the middle-order.
Rahul’s type was an space of concern after he misplaced his place within the Check squad for the final two matches of the just lately concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy in opposition to the Aussies. However in ODIs, the 30-year-old has been one in every of India’s most constant performers over the past three years.
Since 2020, Rahul has been averaging 63 from 19 innings, putting at almost run-a-ball whereas batting within the center order and has owned the quantity 5 place within the line-up.
The Wankhede pitch assisted the quicks, however Vizag has historically been a high-scoring venue with some assist for spinners. There’s additionally the opportunity of showers on match day, with the town additionally receiving a spell of rain on Saturday night.
Within the final worldwide recreation right here, Yuzvendra Chahal spun the house staff to victory in opposition to South Africa in a T20 match. So it is going to be fascinating to see if the leg-spinner will get a look-in in opposition to a batting line-up with many right-handers, forward of Kuldeep Yadav who got here below assault from Mitchell Marsh in Mumbai.
In the meantime, Australia will look to place up a greater present with the bat after dropping the final eight wickets for simply 59 runs within the opening fixture. If David Warner and Alex Carey are match to take the sphere, it ought to assist issues for the guests. However the larger fear is skipper Steve Smith’s type, as he has but to attain a fifty on this tour.
Within the final seven years, India’s solely ODI sequence defeat in its yard got here in opposition to Australia earlier than the 2019 World Cup (3-2). The staff from Down Below might want to produce a disciplined effort on Sunday if it hopes to repeat that feat.
The groups (from):
India: Rohit Sharma (Capt.), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Ok.L. Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat.
Australia: Steven Smith (Capt.), David Warner, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Inexperienced, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa.
Match begins at 1.30 p.m.
