If you were asked to list sporting rivalries that always lived up to the hype, Australia vs India would surely make the list. Regardless of the format and venue in which it is played, fans always enjoy this gem of a contest between these teams. India has not forgotten their greatest heartbreak before their home ground in Ahmedabad. It was the final of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 on November 19, when Travis Head and Pat Cummins silenced a charged crowd of 120,000 people wearing blue shirts. However, with the format changed and momentum in India’s favor, Australia will have to play well. The T20 world cup game is not a must-win for any side, but Australia would love a win to avoid ifs and buts and be one of the two semi-finalist teams from Group 1 of Super 8.
Indian Team: Preview for Crucial Match Against Australia
Big Players Under the Spotlight: IND vs AUS
For team India, the big guns Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are yet to fire in the tournament. Both have a fabulous record in T20 World Cups. Though this edition has not been a one for them to cherish on an individual level. Kohli scored a 30 plus at a good strike rate against Bangladesh. According to Ravi Ashwin tweet, India is playing with the modernist approach of every batter contributing equally. This is opposite to the Anchor Role that Virat Kohli used to play for India. But it will not be an easy outing for both, as Kangaroos will be keen on bowling spin in the powerplay. Kohli has scored nine off 12 balls against off spin in the powerplay so far, and Rohit nine off eight.
Along With them, India’s ever-dependable all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is also going through a purple patch. With the pitch-supporting finger spinners, Jadeja needs to step up as he is the senior pro.
Player to Watch For: As India is expected to stick to the same eleven that featured against Bangladesh, the role of Hardik Pandya, the bowler, becomes more critical. With Head and Warner set to attack in the PowerPlay, he will face the challenge of bowling tricky overs. Even at the back end of innings, he will bowl an over or two to the Mighty Finishers of Australia. After his fifty against Bangladesh, Hardik is equally dangerous with the bat. Especially as we saw his batting in the 2022 World Cup Semi-Final against England, he is a man for the big occasion.
Team India Probable Playing XI: India vs Australia
1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rishabh Pant (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.
Australia Team: Preview for Crucial Match Against India
Key Players Under Pressure as Australia Aims for Redemption: AUS vs IND
Australia had a nightmare of a match against Afghanistan. Even with 6 World Cups up their belt, they were the side that was seemingly under pressure. However, being regarded as a tournament team, they are used to making quick amends. It will not be surprising to see an Australian side with a completely different attitude against India. But they will be needing the help of their senior pros, Glenn Maxwell and David Warner. Mitchell Starc will hopefully be returning to the side. His omission from the previous match was a tactical decision by the Australian Team.
Players to Watch For: Mitchel Marsh needs to improve in this edition of the T20 World Cup. He will be under severe pressure to perform against India. He has taken the captaincy from an ODI World Cup and Test Championship Winner, and it’s about time he proves this decision to be right. Prior to this, he batted in two innings against India in T20 internationals.Marsh would love to make his third outing against them a memorable one.
Team Australia Probable Playing XI: India vs Australia
1.Travis Head, 2 David Warner, 3 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.
India vs Australia Pitch and Conditions: Pace on, Runs on
Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia has proven to be the most favorable venue for batters in this T20 World Cup, boasting the highest scoring rate of 8.92 and an average of 28.76. Fast bowlers have had difficulty containing runs here, with an economy rate of 9.42, the worst in the competition. Conversely, spinners have performed better on this pitch, achieving a more respectable economy rate of 7.91, which is superior to their figures in Dallas and Antigua. However, rain is likely in St. Lucia, with forecasts indicating showers throughout Monday morning, expected to clear up between 10 am and 4 pm.
What’s At Stake?
Nonetheless, two semifinal births are at stake. Group 1 of Super 8 has been opened thanks to the Afg vs Aus game. Three teams can qualify for the semifinals, with even the fourth team, Bangladesh, having a mathematical chance. You can refer to our article to learn more about the qualification scenarios of T20 World Cup 2024.
