India begin their World Cup 2023 campaign with a tough opening encounter against five-time champions Australia in Chennai on Sunday, October 8, 2-23.
India will be buoyed by their 2-1 series victory against Australia a couple of weeks ago while the visitors will take confidence from their 2-1 series win in India in March.
In the deciding game of the series decider in Chennai in March, Australia outplayed India on a turning track with Adam Zampa taking 4/45 as the hosts failed to chase down 270.
The pitch at the M A Chidambaram stadium, as it has played over the years, is likely to support spin which could tilt the scales in India's favour.
Australia have just one specialist spinner in Zampa after Ashton Agar was ruled out with injury.
On the other hand India have three world class spinners who on their day are capable of single-handedly winning matches on their own.
Ravichandran Ashwin could be in line for a sensational World Cup return in front of his home fans. After being nowhere in the reckoning a couple of months ago, Ashwin, 37, was a surprise late inclusion in India's team following Axar Patel's injury at the Asia Cup, featuring in his third World Cup after 2011 and 2015.
Ashwin was among the wickets in the ODI series against Australia last month, taking four wickets in two games, including the big wickets of David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne.
Kuldeep Yadav has been in superb form in ODIs this year while Ravindra Jadeja is not only a difficult bowler to hit in the middle overs but he also chips away at the wickets.
If the conditions in Chennai are conducive for spinners, the Indian trio could prove to be a handful for the Australian batting line-up.
Australia do have a problem with spin as was proved during their five-match ODI series in South Africa a few weeks ago when the two left-arm spinners Keshav Maharaj (8 wickets) and Tabraiz Shamsi (6) bagged 14 wickets between them in 50 overs bowled in total.
Australia's best hope will be to attack the Indian bowlers in the Powerplay forcing the spinners to be introduced under pressure in the early overs with a new ball. The powerful duo of Warner and Mitchell Marsh are capable of taking any bowling attack to the cleaners but taking on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj certainly won't be easy.
After a long injury lay-off, Bumrah looked back to his best during the Asia Cup, while Siraj has been in good form in ODIs, with 30 wickets in 14 matches this year at an economy rate of 4.91.
India could go in with three pacers, including Hardik Pandya, if Ashwin is picked ahead of seam bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur.
India will be forced to make a change in their batting with Shubman Gill unlikely to play on Sunday after testing positive for dengue. But they have a ready replacement in Ishan Kishan, who has been quite impressive in his short career so far, with 886 runs in 25 matches, including hitting the fastest double century in ODIs.
Even without Gill, India's batting line-up is quite formidable with veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli boasting of a superb record against Australia in ODIs.
Captain Rohit has made 2,332 runs in 49 ODIs against the Aussies at an average of 59, with eight centuries, including 209.
Kohli always enjoys playing against Australia. In 47 ODIs played against them, he has scored 2,228 runs at an average of 53, with eight centuries and 12 fifties.
Fit-again Shreyas Iyer also hit a sparkling century against Australia in Indore a couple of weeks ago, while K L Rahul also has a good record against them with 528 runs from 14 matches, including five fifties.
However, none of the top four Indian batters bowl which puts the spotlight on all-rounders Hardik and Jadeja to contribute with both bat and ball, especially considering the long tail.
Ashwin has a good batting record in Test cricket but he hasn't made a mark with the bat in white ball cricket so far while Kuldeep, Bumrah and Siraj can't be relied to make sizeable contributions with the bat.
On the other hand, Australia have batting all the way up to No 9, with all-rounders Mitchell Marsh, Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell providing great balance with both bat and ball.
India will no doubt start as the favourites but few would rule out Australia, who enjoy a superior head to head record against India in the World Cup, having won eight out of the 12 matches between the two teams.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, K L Rahul (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.
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