Team India have showcased a powerful performance in the first two ODIs against the Aussies after getting whitewashed in the T-20 series 2-0, winning both the ODIs and lead the series 2-0 with three matches left to play.
While openers such as Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan’s form have seen in a dip lately, all-rounder Vijay Shankar and Kedar Jadhav are giving top-notch performances in their final audition prior to the World Cup.
Mohammed Shami has been phenomenal and is doing everything to literally snatch Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s position as the second seamer for the World Cup. The right-handed seamer has bowled full quota of the 20 overs in the first two ODIs, giving away 104 runs with two wickets to his name. His numbers in the first two ODIs, perhaps, don’t do justice the way he is bowling right now.
Losing two back-to-back ODIs, Australia, on the other hand, would be rectifying their mistakes they did in the first two ODIs, in the dressing room in a hope to bring a change in the results ahead of the third ODI in Ranchi.
Having said that, the Kangaroos showcased a much better performance in the third ODI as compare to the first ODI, taking the game till the last over, eventually lose the match by eight runs. Skipper Aaron Finch finally scoring some runs is perhaps the biggest positive for the Australians. He would like to add some runs in his kitty in a bid to bring his lost form back ahead of the showpiece event.
Key Players
- Virat Kohli
Without a doubt in mind, Virat Kohli has to be the number one batsman. An unstoppable, invincible charm of Indian Cricket, Kohli’s form is ever-lasting. The Indian skipper has so far scored 160 runs in two matches with the scores of 44 and 116 in first and second ODI respectively. He is our skipper in the predicted Dream XI line up.
- MS Dhoni
Probably, playing his last match at his home ground, the fans would expect Thala to give an everlasting farewell, as Dhoni himself would love to add a half-century if not a century to his name, given the position he bats in the line-up. He is our wicket-keeper choice in the third ODI.
- Vijay Shankar
The 28-year-old Vijay Shankar must be the happiest man right now after showing his heroics with both his batting and bowling at the death, as the right-handed all-rounder is making full use of opportunity handed to him in Hardik Pandya’s absence and who knows, if he might get himself ticked for the World Cup spot ahead of Pandya if he continues to shine in the rest of the ODIs.
- Kuldeep Yadav
A pure game-changer, Kuldeep Yadav’s wicket-taking abilities has taken the Indian bowling standards to a new level now. Coming in at crucial times and picking up wickets when India needed the most, the Chinaman bowler has been doing it for a while now. He is certainly our number one bowler in the eleven.
- Jasprit Bumrah
In the second ODI against Australia, Australia were cruising till the 46th over, with the Kangaroos needing 28 runs from 30 deliveries. In comes the world’s best death over the bowler, Jasprit Bumrah accounted two wickets in the same over giving away just one run and bring India back into the game and eventually winning the match by eight runs. He is just superb in the death overs and with Shami in a good run of form too, India’s bowling unit looks as dangerous as the batting ahead of the World Cup.
- Aaron Finch
Looks like Australia’s skipper Aaron Finch is on his way to bring an end to his patchy run of form as the Australia skipper blazed his way to a fine 37 in the last match which surely will give him a hell lot of confidence and I have a feeling a big score is just one inning away and the third ODI against India could be his day at Ranchi.
- Glenn Maxwell
Having been gone cheaply in both the ODIs, Maxwell is still a part of our eleven, given his game-changing ability.
- Marcus Stoinis
A one-day specialist, all-rounder Stoinis has been amongst runs and had almost won Australia second ODI in Nagpur. Stoinis scored 52 runs in the last ODI as he is our third all-rounder in the eleven.
Squads
India
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), Ambati Rayudu, Lokesh Rahul, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja
Australia
Aaron Finch(c), Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye
Probable XI
India
MS Dhoni (wk), Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Kedar Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia
Shaun Marsh, Aaron Finch (c), Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Adam Zampa, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey (wk), Jason Behrendorff.
Pitch Condition
Ranchi has often produced good wickets with plenty of runs on offer. Bowlers have also enjoyed the prevalent conditions in the previous ODI played here with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami picking four wickets in their two matches in Ranchi. Nevertheless, the spotlight will be on the hometown hero MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli who is the leading run-scorer at the venue with 261 runs to his name.
Predicted Dream11
Batsmen
- Virat Kohli (C)
- Shikhar Dhawan
- Aaron Finch
- Peter Handscomb
All-Rounders
- Glenn Maxwell
- Marcus Stoinis
- Vijay Shankar
Bowlers
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Pat Cummins
Wicket-Keeper
- Mahendra Singh Dhoni (VC)
Also Check:
