With Stats In Their Favour, India Start Second ODI As Firm Favourites

High-flying India will have a chance to go two nil up in the ongoing five-match series against Australia when they take on the visitors in the second ODI at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur.  Team India had bounced back from the embarrassing loss in the T20I series with a clinical effort in the first ODI in Hyderabad.

Chasing a modest 237, India were in a spot of bother after losing their first four wickets for just 99. However, Kedar Jadhav (81*) and MS Dhoni (59*) shared an unbeaten partnership of 141 runs to take India home comfortably in the end. Barring the top-order collapse, almost everything had gone India’s way as they got back to winning ways. India’s bowlers continued their fine-show while the middle-order also stood up when the team needed it the most.

Virat Kohli & Co. are now up against Australia at a venue where the stats are firmly on their side. So far, India and Australia have played three games in Nagpur and the hosts have ended up on the winning side on each occasion. Interestingly, India playing against Australia at this venue in 2009 was the first-ever ODI at this venue.

Batting first, the Men in Blue had piled up 354 for 7 in the allotted 50 overs with MS Dhoni starring with the bat. The former India skipper had slammed 124 before India bowled out the visitors for 255 to win the game by 99 runs.

They next played at this venue in 2013 and the hosts had won that game by 6 wickets.  The visitors had posted a mammoth total of 350 but centuries from Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan had taken India home with three balls remaining.  The last meeting at this venue took place in 2017 and Australia had to suffer defeat again. Batting first, Australia posted a modest total of 242 and the home side, riding on a superb ton from Rohit Sharma, chased it down inside 43 overs.

Overall, the Men in Blue have played 5 ODIs in Nagpur and have three with all the wins coming against Australia. In the remaining two games, the hosts suffered defeats against Sri Lanka and South Africa.