India-Australia ODI LIVE: Limited over test for India’s World Cup probables

Experiments in the two-match T20 International series failed miserably. India were whitewashed as Glenn Maxwell ‘baby-sit’ an experimental bowling line-up to won both the games for Australia.

Now starts the ‘test’ of One Day Internationals for India’s World Cup hopefuls. Hosts India and Australia will play the first game of the five-match series at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium tomorrow (Saturday). The series is the final opportunity for the fence-sitters to book their berth for the ICC World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.

Rishabh Pant has only damaged his prospects in the two T20Is. He has been considered ahead of seasoned Dinesh Karthik for the five ODIs. While the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman has little to prove, Pant will have no liberty to afford any more failures. Each disappointment with the bat is shutting the ICC World Cup door on him.

The Indian think tank and selection panel is literally throwing the “proverbial focus on the game” concept out of the window. The team that is the world leader in this format of the game is juggling with its options to tie “loose ends” to close down on the final Indian 15 for the upcoming World Cup. Few other teams in the world are in that mode. The games at hand could have been better utilised to sharpen the skills for the Cup.

This is India’s last ODI series before the ICC World Cup 2019. The ones under the scanner will miss the bus to England and Wales if they fail now. That brings additional pressure on the “yes, no, maybe group” of the probable World Cup squad.

If Pant has failed, KL Rahul has grabbed the opportunity with both hands, leaving his on and off the field troubles behind.

Hardik Pandya’s absence with fitness issues adds to India’s woes in the middle order and bowling line up. Though Mohammad Shami’s presence with Jaspreet Bumrah would help India overcome the failed Umesh Yadav and Siddharth Kaul experiments. The other ace Bhubaneswar Kumar is rested. For what? That is a big question. Prolonged “rest” is only blunting his lethal bowling.

Australian top order remains vulnerable till the time Steve Smith and David Warner return from their ban in the ball-tampering case. But that remains the only concern for the Kangaroos. For the World Cup, the seasoned duo will be back. They will also have the Indian Premier League 2019 to get into the match mode.

Maxwell will be in for a promotion in the batting order following a series of outstanding performances. He seems the lone stumbling block for India as the visitors will now be required to endure the home team attack for 50 over. Bumrah will have six more overs to wipe off the Aussies’ batting line-up. Kuldeep Yadav and Yajuvendra Chahal might strike in tandem.

Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav and Vijay Shankar give India a problem of plenty in the all-round department.

In spite of two successive defeats, India start favourite on Saturday. And that is not for having the home advantage.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant, Siddarth Kaul, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja.

Australia: Aaron Finch (captain), D’Arcy Short, Shaun Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa, Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Pat Cummins, Andrew Tye, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Nathan Lyon.

LIVE ACTION

Star Sports will broadcast the match in five languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada – on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi and Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports Tamil, Star Sports Telugu, and Star Sports Kannada.

The match will also be streamed live on Star’s OTT platform Hotstar.

The match at the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad will start at 1:30 pm.

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