Tue. Feb 18th, 2025

The ODI World Cup 2023 has started with great anticipation from fans who are excited to see Team India in action. The opening match between India and Australia will take place on Sunday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. These teams have a fierce rivalry and always deliver thrilling clashes in all formats. Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, will be aiming to avenge their 2015 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia, where they suffered a 95-run defeat. This match will feature several exciting player battles. Here are four key player battles to watch out for in the India vs Australia match:

1. Rohit Sharma vs Pat Cummins:
Both captains will be under scrutiny on Sunday as Rohit Sharma needs to provide India with a strong foundation. With reports suggesting that opener Shubman Gill will miss the opening match due to illness, the responsibility falls on Rohit’s shoulders. It will be interesting to see how the Indian skipper handles Pat Cummins’ lethal pace and manages to score runs. In his previous ODI against Australia in September, Rohit played a brilliant knock of 81 runs off just 57 balls.

2. Mitchell Starc vs Virat Kohli:
This battle is undoubtedly the most-awaited clash in the entire match. Virat Kohli, one of India’s star batsmen, experienced a lean patch but made a strong comeback recently. He will be eager to play a big innings against Australia. The visitors will rely heavily on Mitchell Starc’s exceptional swing and pace to control Kohli’s aggressive batting. Kohli will enter the match with high confidence, as he had a good performance in the Asia Cup and the third ODI against Australia. However, Starc, who was the highest wicket-taker in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, cannot be underestimated.

3. Ravichandran Ashwin vs Steve Smith:
Steve Smith is undoubtedly one of Australia’s greatest batsmen. However, he has struggled to perform consistently in ODIs. India’s all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, who joined the team as an injury replacement for Axar Patel, will look to make the most of this opportunity. Ashwin had the upper hand over Smith in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 and will aim to maintain his dominance in the limited-overs format.

4. Mohammed Siraj vs David Warner:
Star pacer Mohammed Siraj impressed everyone with his outstanding six-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final. The battle between Siraj and Australia’s veteran opener David Warner will be a fascinating one. Warner is known for his ability to exploit swing and find boundaries in the gaps. All eyes will be on him as he faces the lethal pace of Siraj.

These player battles promise an exciting match between India and Australia. Fans can expect a thrilling contest as these players go head-to-head in the ODI World Cup 2023.

By admin