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AUS vs IND 1st ODI Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs IND 1st ODI Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs India 1st ODI 2020 Key Players | Sydney Cricket Ground Pitch Report

International cricket, glorious international cricket, returns with two arch-rivals going head-to-head once again. In what Josh Hazlewood described as “up there with the Ashes”, Australia return for their first home international since the surreal encounter against New Zealand just before the COVID-lockdown in March, and will be keen to get off to a winning start against their nemesis in India.

The Indians have been one of ODI cricket’s most consistent teams over the past decade, and will be looking to continue as the first of four years till the 2023 World Cup is nearly complete. Unfortunately for India, along with every other side, it has been a highly-disrupted year, with the men-in-blue not having played an international since their poor tour of New Zealand back in February. But, with a number of Indian players shining in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League, this ODI series serves as an opportunity to test new players as well as lock down positions that have caused so much distress in recent years; i.e. the number four slot.

For Australia, they played more recently, with a classic 2-1 ODI series win against world-champions England back in September. This could prove to be an advantage, but one feels that plenty still rests on the top order given the middle order’s inconsistencies. However, it must be remembered that the much-maligned middle order saved Australia twice in the England ODI series, with Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey both scoring hundreds in the most-recent outing.

So, as the action is upon us, we can gear up for individual battles between two strong sides. The series is part of the ODI League, which serves as extra motivation in an already a big occasion that is Australia vs India.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Rohit Sharma, who scored an ODI hundred at the SCG in 2019, is not available for this series. So, it is Virat Kohli who currently has the most runs in AUS-IND ODIs, with 1,910 at a superb average of 54.57. Also, the Indian captain averages above 50 in 26 ODIs in Australia (50.17).
• Mayank Agarwal is likely to be rewarded for a superb IPL 2020 campaign, where he scored 424 runs in 11 matches at an average of 38.54 and SR 156.45.
• He will likely partner Shikhar Dhawan, who was the second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2020 (618, avg. 44.14), with two centuries. Also, Dhawan has a solid record vs Australia over the past 10 years: 26 inns, 1,145 runs, avg. 45.80, SR 98.79. His last three scores vs Australia make for great reading: 117 (109), 74 (91) and 96 (90).
• How will David Warner fare against India’s pacers? The opener was arguably Australia’s best in the recent IPL, and enjoys playing India in ODIs: 18 inns, 838 runs, avg. 49.29, SR 96.21. Also, Warner enjoys playing at the SCG, with an average of 57.21 in 15 ODIs (801 runs).
• Aaron Finch is currently Australia’s highest run-scorer vs India in ODIs. The Aussie skipper 1,211 runs to his name against the Indians at an average of 44.85. He will be key at the top.
• Three of Steve Smith’s nine ODI hundreds have come against India. This includes one earlier this year at Bangalore, as well as a match-winning century in the 2015 World Cup Semi Final on this ground (SCG). Overall, Smith averages 60.46 in 15 ODI innings vs India.
• KL Rahul excelled in the number five position against Australia earlier this year. His 146 runs in three ODIs came at a strike rate of 104.28, which included a man-of-the-match performance of 80 off 52 balls at Rajkot.
• Marcus Stoinis showed promising signs in the middle order in the recent IPL. Can he and Glenn Maxwell, who struggled in the IPL, fire Australia to a strong score?
• Jasprit Bumrah vs Mitchell Starc promises to be an excellent battle. Interestingly, both average above 30 in Australia-India ODIs. Bumrah took just one wicket in three ODIs vs Australia earlier this year (econ. 4.58), while Starc took three in three at an economy rate of 6.89.
• However, Starc will be keen to elevate his white-ball game this season and Bumrah is coming off an irresistible IPL campaign, where he took 27 wickets in 14 matches.
• Adam Zampa has taken 20 wickets in his last 10 ODIs, and has 20 wickets in 13 games vs India. Plus, he has dismissed Virat Kohli on five occasions, and is coming off a man-of-the-series performance vs England.
• Zampa’s battle with the classy Yuzvendra Chahal will be one to watch. Chahal took six-for in his last ODI in Australia (Melbourne, 2019), and is coming off a fine IPL campaign (21 wickets in 15 matches).
• Mohammed Shami took the most wickets in the India-Australia ODI series earlier this year (seven in three games).

Stats and Facts

• Australia have won three of four completed ODIs at Sydney vs India since 2012, with the latest being in 2019.
• Marnus Labuschagne has struck two fifties and a century in nine ODI innings to date. His opposite number, Shreyas Iyer, averages 56.85 in eight innings at number four.
• Ravindra Jadeja will likely form part of a five-man attack for India. His 27 wickets vs Australia come at an average of 55.37 and economy of 5.26, so India will be hoping for an improvement.
• India won their last ODI series in Australia (2-1 in 2019). MS Dhoni was man of the series. The great man has since retired from international cricket.
• India have won three of the past five ODIs against Australia.

Possible Playing 11

Justin Langer said that Cameron Green will only play ODIs if he can bowl (details here). Given that Green is being eased back to the bowling crease, he may not play straight away.

Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. David Warner, 3. Steve Smith, 4. Marnus Labuschagne, 5. Marcus Stoinis, 6. Alex Carey (wk), 7. Glenn Maxwell, 8. Mitchell Starc, 9. Pat Cummins, 10. Josh Hazlewood, 11. Adam Zampa

India’s top five looks good on paper, but they have an issue given Hardik Pandya hasn’t been bowling due to his recovery from a back injury. This will likely mean India are left with just the five bowling options and a long tail. So, they may be tempted to play Shardul Thakur for more batting cover.

India: 1. Shikhar Dhawan, 2. Mayank Agarwal, 3. Virat Kohli (c), 4. Shreyas Iyer, 5. KL Rahul (wk), 6. Hardik Pandya, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Shardul Thakur/Navdeep Saini, 9. Mohammed Shami, 10. Yuzvendra Chahal, 11. Jasprit Bumrah

SCG Pitch and Weather Report

When international cricket is around in Sydney, it often tends to rain. But not on this occasion. The forecast is 26 degrees and mostly sunny.

Expect a good batting track in this match. There has been no cricket at the SCG in recent times, with the first three rounds of the Sheffield Shield played in an Adelaide bubble. In terms of dew, any slight cloud cover throughout the day could result in less dew, but that remains to be seen. The team batting first has won the last five ODIs at the SCG.

Dream11 Prediction

Also read: Zampa vs Kohli, and more. Check out 5 key battles to watch out for in the Australia vs India ODIs (backed by stats)

Option 1:

Option 2:

Match Prediction

Australia’s batting will have the responsibility of taking advantage of India’s five-man attack, should the tourists go with that option. Also, if Australia can get into India’s middle order quickly, then it puts them in a good position. Australia looks to have the better balance, but one can never count out the Indians, especially if the top order fires.

It promises to be a cracking contest, with Australia’s good record at the SCG putting them as slight favourites.

Thanks for reading!