Australia vs India, 2020: 2nd ODI, Sydney: Weather Forecast

There are some things in life that never change. And, Team India not turning up for the first match of an overseas tour is one of them. And, that was once again proved to the hilt during the 1st ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the Virat Kohli-led outfit proved to be no match for the rampaging hosts. This was India’s 7th defeat in nine ODI games that they have played as a series opener in a SENA country since 2001, and their six successive loss in international cricket this year.

The caravan now moves to the second One-day International at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the Men in Blue just can’t afford yet another slip-up. For, if they do, then not only will they have lost 5 ODIs in a row, they will lose their second successive ODI series, something that has not happened since their defeats to Bangladesh [1-2] and South Africa [2-3] way back in 2015.

One of the biggest reasons behind India struggling in the 50-over cricket this year is because of the inability of their fast bowlers to claim wickets in the first powerplay. India hasn’t picked up a wicket in the first 10 overs in the last 4 ODIs and they have lost each of them with convincing margins. With Hardik Pandya, not bowling, India does not have sixth bowling options and so if their fast bowlers do not provide breakthroughs in the first ten overs, it becomes incredibly difficult for them to contain the opposition from posting a big score on tracks which really do not offer anything to the bowlers.

Jasprit Bumrah’s ODI form is a major cause of worry for the Indian team. Bumrah has claimed just 2 wickets in the last 7 matches and the champion fast bowler hasn’t looked menacing either. He had another off day in the first match, something that India can’t afford a repeat of, on Sunday. Another issue for India is the middle-overs. Ravindra Jadeja, on these unhelpful tracks, is a defensive option, but given the fact that Hardik Pandya is no longer a bowling option and also that none of the bowlers offer anything with the bat, India can’t play both Chahal and Kuldeep together. This puts an added pressure on Chahal, who needs to step up after a disappointing first outing.

As for Australia, they had a near-perfect outing in the first game with almost everyone [barring Mitchell Starc] contributing to the cause. Aaron Finch and Steve Smith scored contrasting hundreds while Glenn Maxwell signaled a return to form with a whirlwind cameo.

As far as the bowling is concerned, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa were the pick of the bowlers on a surface that had very little assistance for the bowlers. Australia would, however, be wary of India’s tendency to make a comeback after a poor first game. In the last two ODI series that Australia have lost against India- in 2018-19 and 2020- the Aaron Finch-led unit won the first match, only to see India stage a fightback to win the next two and the series. The hosts would be looking to buck the trend and close out the series in Sydney itself.

Also Read- Australia vs India, 2020: 2nd ODI, Sydney: India Predicted XI

Australia vs India, 2020: 2nd ODI, Sydney: Weather Forecast

Another bright and sunny day awaits us in Sydney on Sunday. According to the BBC weather report, the temperatures are expected to fluctuate between 17-37 degrees celsius. A strong wind is expected to blow throughout the day while the humidity is set to be around 31 percent.