Clear edge: Rahul getting again amongst runs augurs properly for India, as his wicketkeeping gives nice steadiness to the facet.
| Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini
India will look to wrap up the ODI series 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.
In the series opener in Mumbai, the hosts fought again after shedding the early momentum in each levels of the match to put up a five-wicket win and go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Regular 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 probably going to make method.
Crucial half
The ongoing series is a vital a part of the preparations for the World Cup later this 12 months in India, and the Men in Blue can take coronary heart from the very fact there have been some brilliant 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, Okay.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 group’s probabilities in the quadrennial occasion as a wicketkeeper-batter in the middle-order.
Rahul’s kind was an space of concern after he misplaced his place in the Test squad for the final two matches of the not too long ago concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy in opposition to the Aussies. But in ODIs, the 30-year-old has been considered one of India’s most constant performers over the past three years.
Since 2020, Rahul has been averaging 63 from 19 innings, placing at practically run-a-ball whereas batting in the center order and has owned the quantity 5 place in the line-up.
The Wankhede pitch assisted the quicks, however Vizag has historically been a high-scoring venue with some assist for spinners. There can also be the potential of showers on match day, with the town additionally receiving a spell of rain on Saturday night.
In the final worldwide recreation right here, Yuzvendra Chahal spun the house group 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 underneath assault from Mitchell Marsh in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Australia will look to put up a greater present with the bat after shedding the final eight wickets for simply 59 runs in the opening fixture. If David Warner and Alex Carey are match to take the sphere, it ought to assist issues for the guests. But the larger fear is skipper Steve Smith’s kind, as he has but to rating a fifty on this tour.
In the final seven years, India’s solely ODI series defeat in its yard got here in opposition to Australia earlier than the 2019 World Cup (3-2). The group from Down Under will 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, Okay.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 Green, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa.
Match begins at 1.30 p.m.
