ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: India vs Australia match preview, predictions

WEB DESK:  India will face Australia in the fifth match of the ICC World Cup 2023, in Chennai, at the Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, October 8. The game is scheduled to commence at 2pm IST. Chennai has been designated to host a total of five league matches during the World Cup.

India’s predicted XI:

Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.

Australia’s Predicted XI

David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins (c).

Captains of India vs Australia

Rohit Sharma, participating in his third World Cup, will assume the leadership role for India. He notably emerged as the highest run-scorer in the previous World Cup and now carries the additional responsibility of captaincy in this edition. Rohit has been actively collaborating with Rahul Dravid to strategize and determine the most effective team composition leading up to the match against Australia.

Australia, under the captaincy of Pat Cummins, boasts a squad with a wealth of experience. With Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, David Warner, and Steve Smith all part of their World Cup lineup, the five-time champions have a solid core of seasoned players.

Bowling attack of both teams

India is likely to rely on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj to lead their bowling attack. Additionally, the team is expected to include wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as automatic selections in the bowling lineup. Furthermore, the versatile all-rounder Hardik Pandya is anticipated to play a crucial role as the third fast bowler.

Australia’s bowling attack will be led by the pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. In addition to their formidable pace attack, the team can count on wrist-spinner Adam Zampa, who has proven his effectiveness in Indian conditions. Zampa has claimed 27 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 30.77.

Batting attack

India boasts a batting lineup that is widely regarded as one of the most formidable on paper, featuring cricketing superstars. Virat Kohli is on the cusp of potentially surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most all-time ODI centuries, a significant milestone in his career. Meanwhile, skipper Rohit Sharma is determined to make amends for his absence from the 2011 tournament, carrying a strong desire to excel in the ICC World Cup.

The Australian batsmen, bring a wealth of experience in Indian conditions to the table, as most of them have affiliations with Indian Premier League franchises. Players like David Warner, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, and Glenn Maxwell are well-accustomed to playing in Indian conditions due to their significant involvement in the Indian Premier League.

SA vs SL: South Africa now has the highest team total in World Cup history

In the ODI format, India and Australia have faced each other in a total of 149 matches. Among these, Australia emerged victorious in 83 matches, while India secured wins in 56 matches. Whereas, ten games concluded without a result.

India secured victory in the Cricket World Cup in 1983 and 2011, both times when the tournament was hosted in India. However, since those triumphs, India has clinched only one ICC event title, which was the 2013 Champions Trophy held in England. Currently, India is eager to put an end to their lack of trophy wins on their home turf.

Australia holds the record for being the most successful team in One Day International (ODI) cricket. They have clinched victory in the 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015 ODI World Cup tournaments