New Delhi: India will have to quickly put behind a massive bowling failure, sloppy fielding and tactical mistakes to tame a resurgent Australia in the series-deciding fifth ODI here Wednesday.
The cricketing world has applauded India’s current bowling attack as one of its most potent but the failure to defend a mammoth total in Mohali came as a reality check for it.
Even the ever-reliable Jasprit Bumrah was taken to cleaners by Ashton Turner with ease, though the way captain Virat Kohli handled his quota of overs did leave many perplexed.
Kohli and the Indian team definitely missed the calming presence of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose understanding of game situations has been helpful in pressure situations.
In Ranchi, the team bowled first and in Mohali, Kohli opted to bat first, taking the dew into consideration but on both days, the opposite happened. It was dry when India chased in Ranchi but dew helped Australia’s chase in the fourth ODI with the Indian bowlers struggling to grip the ball.
The hosts can heave a sigh of relief with Shikhar Dhawan striking form. The Delhi left-hander managed to silence critics who had been after him due to a prolonged lean patch.
Going by history, the pitch at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium should be ideal for wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal as the slow bowlers have done well in the previous games.
Usman Khawaja has been the man for Australia this series. His stellar show at the top has been instrumental in the visitors’ turnaround in the series.
With skipper Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb and new sensation Turner contributing in the team’s good run, this Australian side is definitely on the right track to regain its status as one of the most formidable sides.
The winner-take-all contest will also be the Indian team’s last in the 50-over format before the World Cup, making it the players’ final chance to make an impression on the selectors minds.
Vijay Shankar has done a reasonably fine job with the bat in the limited chances he has got but Rishabh Pant did not do any good to his wicket-keeping reputation by missing chances in Mohali.
The top and middle-order is largely settled and the fifth ODI will be one last chance for Pant, Shankar, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja to do something special and prove their worth.
Teams
India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, Rishabh Pant, Vijay Shankar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Australia: Aaron Finch (Captain), Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Jhye Richardson, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Alex Carey, Nathan Lyon and Jason Behrendorff.
Match Starts: 1:30 pm.
PTI
