India vs Australia 2017: Predicted Eleven For First ODI

After the fiercely-fought Test series earlier this year, India and Australia will revive their celebrated rivalry in the One-Day Internationals during the upcoming five-match series.

The Border-Gavaskar series earlier this year was one of the best Test series witnessed between the two sides in the last decade or so. Before the series had begun, nobody gave Steve Smith’s men of putting up a good fight against the world number side let alone winning any match. However, the team from Down Under exceeded all the expectations, giving their fancied opponents a run for their money before losing the series 2-1.

The visitors began the series with a bang by inflicting a heavy 333-run on Virat Kohli‘s men. In the following Test at Bengaluru, they had India on the mat but the hosts staged a remarkable comeback to win the match by 75 runs. The third Test at Ranchi ended in a draw before India thrashed the visitors in final Test at Dharamsala to seal the series.

The series is done and dusted now and the teams will now focus on the 50-over format. Both the teams will like to make a winning start to the series to get the much-needed early momentum. So here we are looking at India’s team composition for the first ODI, scheduled to be played on Sunday (September 17) in Chennai.

1. Rohit Sharma:

The 30-year old has been in supreme form since recovering from his thigh injury. After starring with the bat in the Champions Trophy, he proved his worth once again by finishing the series in Sri Lanka as the second-highest run scorer, slamming one fifty and a couple of centuries.

2. Ajinkya Rahane:

With Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the first three games, Rahane is the front-runner to partner Rohit Sharma at the top of the order. The much-needed opportunity will be a big chance for Rahane to prove himself in the ODIs where he is still struggling to cement his spot. He did not play a single game in the Champions Trophy but was asked to open the innings in all the five games against Windies and he fully capitalised on it, finishing the series as the highest-run scorer.

He lost his place in the playing eleven after Rohit Sharma’s return for the Sri Lanka series and will now look to make the chances count.

3. Virat Kohli:

Kohli will be desperate to prove himself against the visitors. The India skipper had a disastrous Test series against Steve Smith & Co. earlier this year but he will be backing himself to make amends for it after finishing the series in Sri Lanka as the highest run-scorer with two centuries and a fifty.

4. Manish Pandey:

With KL Rahul failing miserably at number 4 in Sri Lanka, Pandey is likely to start in the first ODI. Rahul had managed only 28 runs in 3 innings while Pandey scored 50 not out and 36 in the two opportunities he got. Pandey also impressed in the one-off T20I, scoring an unbeaten 51 to take the Men in Blue home.

5. Kedar Jadhav:

Jadhav was dropped for the fourth ODI against the Islanders after his poor show in the first three games. However, the Maharashtra star is likely to retain his place in the team after scoring 63 in the fifth and final ODI which helped India to inflict a whitewash on the hosts.

6. MS Dhoni:

Two match-winning knocks, unbeaten throughout the series, brilliant display behind the wickets, Dhoni has managed to silence his critics in a great style. The former India skipper was under severe pressure when he entered the series against Sri Lanka but his allround performance has shown that he is still the best in business.

7. Hardik Pandya:

After making a dream debut in the Test series, Pandya did not have the best of outings in ODIs, taking 4 wickets and scoring only 19 in two innings. However, the Baroda allrounder looks like a guaranteed starter for the first game.

8. Axar Patel:

The left-arm spinner enjoyed a good series against Sri Lanka as he took 6 wickets and bowled at an outstanding economy rate of 3.85. He is once again looking set to start against Australia.

9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar:

The right-arm surprisingly went wicketless in the first three games against the Islanders but made amends for it by taking his first five-wicket haul in the final ODI. He had also impressed with his batting, scoring a match-winning 53 in the second game.

10. Yuzvendra Chahal:

Just like Axar, Chahal was also making his comeback in ODIs and impressed one and all by taking 5 wickets in 4 games. Moreover, his performance in the one-off T20I where he took 3 wickets slightly puts him ahead of left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

11. Jasprit Bumrah:

An indispensable part of the limited-overs team, Bumrah once again proved his worth by finishing the series in Sri Lanka as the highest wicket-taker, taking a staggering 15 wickets which is most by any bowler in a five-match bilateral series. His economy-rate was equally impressive as he conceded 3.90 runs per over.