Rohit Sharma (Image: Debasis Sen)
If one had to pick the best side of the 2023 World Cup, it would be India. This has been their tournament. No team after Australia in 2003 has dominated with such authority. India have possibly been more ruthless, albeit more politely, in decimating opponents match after match.
The time has come for that one last push. The game they had been preparing for. It’s true that India, like most other teams, took it one match at a time. They did not fast forward or think of the reward before accomplishing the mission. But they have been waiting for this day.
The Australian bunch facing India in the final will be very different from the side which lost the opening fixture between the two teams in Chennai. The arrival of Travis Head has changed team dynamics. More than that, after starting on a rusty note and not having done well in this format in the run-up to this event, they have shown a collective urge to play like five-time champions.
Man for man, skill-wise and on form, India should overwhelm Australia at the moment. But this particular game taking place by the Sabarmati is not only about the flow the two teams have maintained so far. Such finals are also about playing a game of who blinks first. Since both sides have reached this stage of the competition, they are not poles apart in terms of capabilities.
Including the 2015 World Cup and the T20 World Cup two years ago, there is a lot of winning experience in this Australian line-up. They know what it takes to handle the pressure of big games. And having had to take the harder path to reach the final, they are a toughened lot as well. They have played a lot in India, so the roar of the crowd is not something they will be fazed by.
Going by what has happened in this competition so far, India are the proverbial favourites. Their lowest victory margin was 70 runs. The most wickets they have lost while chasing is six. No team has batted better than them, none have bowled better. This kind of hammering of oppositions over 10 matches is unheard of. The confidence such a run provides in unmatchable.
Australia have what it takes to absorb what India throw at them. Their only problem is regarding spin bowling. Adam Zampa has taken 22 wickets, but teams have shown that he can be taken for runs. India are miles ahead in this department. If they bring back Ravichandran Ashwin in place of Mohammed Siraj, Australia’s challenge may just get a bit tougher.
However, these are nitty-gritty details when it comes to a match of this scale. Tactical tweaks can play a part, of course, but this will not be won or lost on the drawing board. Having given a sparkling demonstration of skills, the Indians now have to show that they have the mental strength to display them again in front of a house of 130,000. This game is about delivering under pressure.
Match and venue details
India vs Australia. 2PM. Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Pitch and conditions
The pitch has been good for batting, but no team crossed 300 in the first four games. It’s likely to be warm in the afternoon and cooler in the evening. Dew could come into the picture.
Likely XIs
India: Ashwin in place of Siraj only possibility. But this is not certain.
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj/Ravichandran Ashwin.
Australia: There may be temptation to play Marcus Stoinis. But in whose place?
David Warner, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Jos Inglis (c), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Match-ups
Eleven vs eleven: There will be subplots like Hazlewood versus Rohit and Bumrah versus Warner, but for once, let us say that the biggest match-up in this game is XI versus XI.
Match speak
“The crowd’s obviously going to be one-sided but in sport there’s nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent and that’s the aim for us.” – Pat Cummins, Australia captain
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If one had to pick the best side of the 2023 World Cup, it would be India. This has been their tournament. No team after Australia in 2003 has dominated…
The post The Cards Point to India Against Serial Winners Australia appeared first on RevSportz | Latest Sports News.
