IND vs AUS: 2nd ODI Preview – Rohit returns as India eye series win
With a 1-0 lead in hand, hosts India will be aiming to clinch the ODI series early against Australia when the two sides meet for the second game on March 19 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The Men in Blue clinched a five-wicket victory in the first game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 17.
Hardik Pandya led the Indian side in the first game due to regular skipper Rohit Sharma’s unavailability. But the senior pro will be back in his role for the upcoming game and will also take up the opening slot in the lineup. Since Shubman Gill has been in great form of late across formats, Ishan Kishan is likely to make way for the skipper.
Though Australia have an upper hand over India in the head-to-head records, Indian batters KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja showcased brilliance on the field with the bat. On a track that did not assist the batters, the duo stitched up an unbeaten 108-run stand and took their side home. Hence, the Men in Blue will be aiming to keep up with the winning spirit.
In the previous game, Mohammed Shami did well with the ball alongside the two batters. As for Australia, Mitchell Marsh top-scored in the game with his 65-ball 81. Steve Smith aided him well as the two added a 72-run stand. The pitch in the next game will assist the batters, and hence the top-order players would be looking to make the most of it.
Pitch and conditions
The Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium’s wickets are renowned for being batting-friendly, but they have also historically supported spinners. In the nine games played at this venue, except for three innings, teams have scored a total of above 250 runs in every innings.
Venue details: Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
Last ODI match at the venue: IND- 387/5 (50 overs) | WI- 280/10 (43.3 overs)
Here’s the probable playing XI for India vs Australia clash:
India:
Rohit Sharma is set to return to the side and will lead the team. As a result, Ishan Kishan will be out of the combination. Apart from that, the hosts might not make any changes in order to keep the winning momentum alive.
Australia:
As for the visitors, only Mitchell Marsh looked in good touch with the bat, and Mitchell Starc did well with the ball. Since they have some players missing out on the series, they would likely go with the same combination and put the players to the test.
