Event of the Day: India versus Australia ODI

Our event of the day is the first ODI between India and Australia at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The teams come into this following a 2-0 T20 series victory for Australia. With the World Cup drawing closer, both teams will be looking to make a good impression in the ODI format. Be sure you don’t miss what is sure to be an exciting day of cricket. India come into this ODI series having been taken to task by their visitors in the preceding T20 series. India has a couple of good batting performances in the two losses, with half centuries from K.L. Rahul and Virat Kohli. Things were going well in the second T20 with the first wicket of their inning coming after 61 runs. However, 13 runs later and they had lost another two batsmen. They managed a rally, with 100 runs separating the third and fourth wickets but ended on a challenging 190 runs.

Australia rebounded from a slow start, where they found themselves at 22/2, with Glenn Maxwell hitting a century (113) as India could provide no answer. Australia would lose one more wicket just before hitting 100 runs but that would be their last and they would go on to surpass India’s total with two balls remaining. Now the teams will face off in the one-day international format. India has been on a roll, winning their last 3 ODI series. India has lost only three matches across those three series. Australia, on the other hand, are in an ODI slump. They are without an ODI series win since January 2017, when they beat Pakistan. Since then, they have lost six straight series in the format. Alex Carey will take up the gloves and play behind the stumps as wicket keeper. Carey is the go-to ODI wicket keeper but missed out on playing in the two T20 matches. The choice to play Peter Handscomb worked out well for Australia, as he formed part of the unstoppable batting duo with Glenn Maxwell. Furthermore, Australia will be hoping that all-rounder Marcus Stoinis can once again be the key to halting the Indian offense. While India vice-captain Rohit Sharma has scored 1178 runs in 31 ODIs against Australia, Stoinis appears to be Sharma’s weakness. Stoinis is the only current Australian bowler to have more than two ODI wickets when bowling to Sharma. These two teams will be looking to make an impression prior to the World Cup later this year. India will want to show that they are a true competitor this year while Australia will hope to show that they can compete in the ODI format. Whatever happens today, it is sure to be an exciting match between these two talented sides.