Steve Smith and Hardik Pandya
IND vs AUS ODI Series: After the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023, the three-match ODI series between India and Australia is now going to start. The first ODI between the two teams will be played on Friday, March 17 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Regular captain Rohit Sharma will not be available in this match. At the same time, the command of the team will be in the hands of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Team India is definitely being considered as favorite before the series but the Australian team will not have to be taken lightly. Captained by Steve Smith, this team has star players like David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell Starc. Then if you look at some figures, then definitely it is very scary for Indian fans.
Have to be careful with kangaroos!
India has played a total of 8 bilateral ODI series against Australia at home since 2000-01. Out of which the Indian team has won four times, it has also had to face defeat only four times. The Australian team defeated India 3-2 on the 2018-19 tour and Adam Zampa emerged as a big problem for Team India in that series. After this, although in 2019-20, India definitely took revenge by winning the series 2-1, but that defeat will still be in the mind of the team. India has played a total of 64 ODIs against Australia at home, out of which Australia has won 30 and India has won 29. Means here also the kangaroo team has the upper hand. In such a situation, this team of Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma will have to be careful.
If we also look at the overall figures in ODIs between the two teams, then the Australian team is far ahead here. A total of 143 ODIs have been played between India and Australia. Out of which the Kangaroo team has won 80 times, while Team India has been able to win only 53 times. That is, more than 50 percent of the times Australia has defeated India in ODIs. The last ODI series that India played against Australia in 2020-21 in Australia itself, there too the kangaroos were seen. Team India had to lose that series by 2-1. That is, it would be wrong to say here that the Indian team is the favourite. Provided he will need to be careful with Australia.
ODI Squads of India and Australia
Team India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Akshar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat
(Rohit Sharma is not present in the first ODI)
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Ellis, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.