India Vs Australia 2020: India's Predicted XI For First ODI

India began their new year on a high note, beating Sri Lanka in the three-game T20I series by a margin of 2-0. Not once in their home season so far, India’s juggernaut seemed threatening, at least not till the beginning of any series. It has changed now as the Australians have landed the Indian shores with their full-strength to secure back to back series victory against India at their home. But the positives aren’t any less for India. Rohit Sharma would be returning to the fold after a short break.

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Their bowling department strengthens not only because of the return of Jasprit Bumrah, but also how well the likes of Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, and Navdeep Saini have hit their strides to stay in the reckoning. However, their middle-order needs testing as well as the spin-bowling department after their ordinary show against West Indies. The upcoming three-match ODI series will see both sides getting pushed to the breaking point and it would be a test of how they thrive from it.

Ahead of the first ODI in Mumbai, we take a look at the predicted XI for India:

Rohit Sharma

The limited-overs vice-captain would be back for this big One-day bout against Australia after being rested for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma is an automatic selection when it comes to white-ball cricket and he loves playing against Australia. The 32-year old suffered an injury to this thumb during the practice session; however, he is expected to be available for the marquee clash. Rohit would also be looking to extend his stellar run of 2019.

Shikhar Dhawan

Even though KL Rahul’s potent display in ODIs has not led India to miss Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order, the former may still miss out on the playing eleven. Dhawan made his comeback in the T20 series against Sri Lanka and was amongst the runs. The southpaw will likely reunite with his long-time partner Rohit Sharma, mainly because of their track record as the opening pair and preference of left-right combination.

Virat Kohli (c)

There is no bigger challenge for Australians than dealing with Virat Kohli, whether while he is batting or taking the field. The Indian captain, though, will also have a greater task in keeping his team together in the absence of MS Dhoni. He may also have to don the anchor role for his side in every game, mainly due to the inexperience in the middle-order against such a quality team.

Shreyas Iyer

India’s new number four will face his first stern test since finding himself frequently in the national team, of late. Shreyas Iyer has done well for India, but would undoubtedly be facing his biggest battle against the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood in a bid to cement his spot as the future number four batsman. A fruitful series against Australia will elevate his confidence further ahead of a tough tour of New Zealand.

Rishabh Pant (wk)

With no apparent choice in the squad for taking the gloves, Rishabh Pant will don the same and would look to steer his resurgence in the ODI arena to the next level. The 21-year old played two significant knocks in the ODI series against West Indies and would be keen to repeat it against Australia.

Shivam Dube

Not only does Shivam Dube gives the advantage of power-hitting down the order, but it also gives them an extra bowling option. Although in both the departments, Dube hasn’t had a desirable start, India would want to give him more chances before going to New Zealand.

Ravindra Jadeja

The Saurashtra all-rounder is one cricketer, who brings upon his skills in all facets of the game. Ravindra Jadeja gives his side the choice of striking big when needed as well as milking ones or twos if the situation demands. His left-arm spin and dynamic presence on the field can produce breakthroughs out of nothing. The 31-year old would be one of the two spinners in this line-up.

Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur has found himself in and out of the side due to the presence of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami. The injuries to Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah in recent times has paved the way for his inclusion and he has pounced on it. The 28-year old needs to be more penetrative with the ball, but is more than a handy batsman down the order, capable of clearing the ropes with ease.

Kuldeep Yadav

The left-arm spinner admitted that he had a mediocre 2019 and hopes to make a promising start to 2020. Kuldeep Yadav faces a stiff competition along with Yuzvendra Chahal; however, Kuldeep is likely to get the nod, mainly because Australians struggle playing left-arm spinners. The 25-year old would be hoping to improve on his performance against West Indies, which was mediocre.

Mohammed Shami

In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami has been the go-to bowler for Virat Kohli, either for curbing the run-flow or providing breakthroughs. The Bengal pacer will likely share the new ball along with Jasprit Bumrah and would be hoping to elevate his performance from 2019 in which he finished as the highest wicket-taker.

Jasprit Bumrah

The return of Jasprit Bumrah is undeniably the biggest boost for the men in blue ahead of the high-profile ODI series. The lanky pacer looked patchy against Sri Lanka in Indore on his return to the T20 team; however, rediscovered his rhythm in the very next game. The 26-year old will likely share the ball with Mohammed Shami, which would be crucial against the attacking opening pair of Aaron Finch and David Warner.

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