With the World Cup on the horizon, India and Australia are gearing up for their opening match on October 8 in Chennai. But first, they face three preparatory matches in six days. While these matches offer teams a chance to finalize their strategies, the risk of last-minute injuries remains a concern.
India vs Australia - Australia Tour of India 2023
Australia recently faced a setback as Travis Head's hand injury may sideline him for the World Cup. On the Indian front, Axar Patel will be absent for the initial two matches of this series. India, fresh from their Asia Cup victory where they restricted Sri Lanka to just 50 runs in the finale, seem to be in good form. Australia, having recently witnessed a 2-0 series advantage against South Africa turn into a 3-2 loss, has more at stake in these upcoming matches. In the build-up to the World Cup, injuries and selection challenges have prevented Australia from fielding their preferred XI.
Australia's squad has seen a change with Matt Short stepping in as Head's substitute. Short's aggressive batting style and handy offspin make him a direct replacement. A place in the final 15 for him would be impressive, but it's not off the cards.
India, after their recent success, has chosen to rest stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya for the first two matches. All eyes are on R Ashwin and Washington Sundar, who may replace Axar if his unavailability extends beyond two games. Shreyas Iyer, recovering from a recent injury during the Asia Cup, and Suryakumar Yadav, will also be keen to spend valuable time in the middle.
India vs Australia - Australia Tour of India 2023 TV Channels
Sports 18 channels, Sports18 1 SD and Sports18 1 HD will broadcast the 1st ODI match live between India and Australia.
The matches will also be available to watch on TV on these regional channels: Colors Tamil (Tamil), Colors Bangla Cinema (Bengali), Colors Kannada Cinema (Kannada), Colors Cineplex Superhits (Hindi).
Team News
India might play all their spin-bowling allrounders in Hardik Pandya's absence. Mohammed Siraj may be given a break following his standout performance in the Asia Cup. Upcoming star Ishan Kishan is likely to open with Shubman Gill.
Probable India XI: Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (capt, wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj/Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah.
Australia’s game plan might revolve around integrating both Smith and Labuschagne. With Travis Head and others unavailable, there are chances for new players like Tanveer Sangha. Mitchell Starc is also out for this game, opening a potential slot for Spencer Johnson.
Probable Australia XI: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (capt), Spencer Johnson/Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Pitch and Weather Report
The season is just starting in India, yet the pitch conditions, as per Pat Cummins, are expected to remain consistent. Mohali, hosting an ODI after four years, has seen high scoring games in recent IPL seasons. A hot and dry day is predicted.