India and Australia faced off in the second match of the three-match ODI series, with Australia settling the score 1-1 after a crushing victory over the Indian team in the second one day match. The match took place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the Australian team led by Mitchell Starc, who finished with his ninth five-wicket haul in the 50-over format, earning him a place in the elite group of players. The Australian team had a perfect performance in both bowling and batting departments, with their openers chasing down the target of 118 runs with 39 overs to spare.
Image Source – NDTV Sports
In the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. However, the Australian team was dominant from the start, with Indian openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma falling cheaply, and the Indian batting order collapsing as a result. The Indian team managed to put up only 117 runs on the board, their lowest score against Australia in the 50-over format at home.
Image Source – The Indian Express
The Australian seam bowlers, led by Starc, gave the Indian batters no chance to settle down, with Abbott and Ellis adding to the pressure. Starc finished with five wickets, Abbott picked three, and Ellis ended the match with two wickets to his name.
While the Aussies struggled with the bat in the first game, the roster didn’t get a chance to bat as openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh finished things off in style. Marsh was ruthless and took the attack to the Indian bowlers in the first game, and came to the second game with a similar mindset. Marsh scored 66 runs in just 33 deliveries, and his knock included six humongous maximums. Travis Head, on the other hand, scored 51 runs, which included 10 fours.
Image Source – Outlook India
With their win against India on Sunday, the Kangaroos have managed 81 victories against India, while the Men in Blue only have 54 victories to their name. Interestingly, in the last bilateral series, which took place in 2020, Australia defeated India 2-1 at home, which was also the last instance of the Kangaroos winning by a margin of 10 wickets.
Image Source – Tribune India
While India will be looking to salvage some pride and a win in the final ODI, here are some key players from both teams who can make a difference in the upcoming match:
Shubman Gill (India): Gill has been outstanding ever since he announced his breakthrough on the international stage. He has been unstoppable ever since, solidifying his place in the Indian top order. Despite losing cheaply in the first two ODIs, he continues to pose a threat to the Kangaroos after scoring a stunning 128 runs in the penultimate test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Rohit Sharma (India): Rohit is one of the most dangerous openers in world cricket and has been a crucial part of the Indian cricket team’s success over the years. He is known for his aggressive stroke play and has a great record against the Australian team. He will be looking to make amends after failing in the first two ODIs.
Virat Kohli (India): Kohli needs no introduction as he is one of the best batsmen in the world. He is the backbone of the Indian batting line-up and has a great record against the Australian team. Kohli will be looking to play a crucial knock in the final ODI to give India a fighting chance.
Pat Cummins (Australia): Cummins is one of the best fast bowlers in the world and has been in great form in the ODI series. He has been able to generate great pace and bounce, troubling the Indian batters in both the matches. He will be looking to continue his good form in the final.
The Probable XI For The Match Are Listed Below:
India: Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith ©, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa,
