India and Australia will begin seven-match One Day International (ODI) series after a thrilling Twenty20 game. The first match of the series will be played at Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune on Sunday. [READ Match 7 Preview: India vs Australia Live Streaming Information]
Where to Watch Live:
The first ODI match will begin at 02:30 pm IST on Sunday and it will be telecast live in India on Star Sports, Star Cricket and ESPN channels. To live stream online, follow the official link HERE. [READ Match 7 Preview: India vs Australia Live Streaming Information]
Overview:
The only T20 match played ahead of the ODI series has pumped in lots of interest among cricket lovers with India pulling up a thrilling win by chasing down Australia's huge score of 201 after Yuvraj Singh made the chase easy by scoring 77 from just 35 balls.
India look formidable with exceptional results in ODI this year except a series loss to Pakistan earlier in the year. They will be keen to retain the top spot in the world cricket rankings when they take on a relatively inexperienced Australian team.
Australia come into the contest after a 4-0 whitewash to India in Test series played in February-March, and they will be keen to avenge the humiliation. They should draw inspiration from the recent ODI series win against England. However, failure to defend the total of 201 in the T20 match against India may haunt them.
Previous Meetings:
Australia have 64-37 win-loss ODI record against India in 109 matches, out of which eight games were abandoned.
Team News:
India: Ambati Rayudu, Jaydev Unadkat and Shami Ahmed have been included in the squad while senior players like Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh have been left out. Even talented batsmen like Dinesh Karthik and Ajinkya Rahane could not find a place in the squad, which shows the bench strength of the present team.
Australia: George Bailey to lead the team after regular skipper Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the series due to prolonged back injury. Senior players like David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Starc have been left out of the team, giving way to Callum Ferguson, Moises Henriques and Aaron Finch.
Preview:
Team India have evolved as a formidable side despite the scare following the poor form of some of its experienced players. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have turned into reliable openers and the middle order look strong with the likes of Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja in the batting line-up. Yuvraj's return of form will boost the confidence of the team.
Indian bowlers may not have the speed like their counterparts but Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Shami Ahmed and Jaydev Unadkat have the ability to take wickets. Looking at the overall team set up, it will be a herculean task for Australia to beat the present Indian team.
Australia will miss the service of skipper Michael Clarke both in batting and planning the play on the field. Aaron Finch scored a brilliant 89 run off 52 balls in the T20 match on Thursday and he will have to shoulder huge responsibility in the ODIs too, as other batsmen seem to be struggling to read the pitch. Nic Maddinson, who scored 34 in the T20 game and other batsmen like Shane Watson, George Bailey and Glenn Maxwell need to put their acts together and contribute with their bats.
James Faulkner, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, Henriques, Xavier Doherty and Clint McKay will lead the bowling attack. They have speed and caliber but were assaulted by Indian batsmen, especially Yuvraj, in the T20 game. They will be expected to take early wickets and restrict the score of the opponents.
Prediction:
India are the favourites to win.
Squads:
India: MS Dhoni (captain), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Shami Ahmed, Jaydev Unadkat, Ravichandran Ashwin, Vinay Kumar, Amit Mishra, Ambati Rayudu
Australia: George Bailey (captain), Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Johnson, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Clint McKay
