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Team India will take on Australia in the 2023 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The Men in Blue have been the most dominant side in the competition and are yet to lose a single match. After nine straight triumphs in the league phase, they got the better of New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semi-final in Mumbai.
The Men in Blue batted first against the Kiwis and put up a huge total of 397/4 on the board. New Zealand, on expected lines, came up with a fighting response. However, they fell way short in the end, going down by 70 runs.
Australia, meanwhile, were brilliant with the ball in the second semi-final against South Africa in Kolkata, restricting the Proteas to 212. The Aussies stumbled with the bat, but held their nerves to register a three-wicket win.
Hosts India are being touted as favorites on current form, but they would know that the tag only matters on paper. On the field, Australia will be as dangerous an opponent as they can face in the final.
As the two sides prepare for the grand finale, we analyze five major factors that could determine who will be crowned world champions.
#1 Rohit Sharma’s early tussle with Hazlewood and Starc
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has been superb with his bold approach with the bat at the top of the order. He has taken it upon himself to give the Men in Blue the early momentum in the innings with some daring stroke play. Rohit may not have as many big scores as Virat Kohli or Shreyas Iyer, but his rapid 40s have set the tone, and the middle order batters had capitalized on the same brilliantly.
The all-out approach has worked to a T so far. But it would be fair to say that Rohit’s biggest challenge will come against Australia in the final against the likes of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. The Indian captain won’t find it as easy to take on the seasoned Aussie duo.
When the teams met at the start of the World Cup, Rohit was trapped lbw by Hazlewood for a duck. Can the Hitman ace the Aussie challenge this time?
#2 How India’s batters tackle Adam Zampa
The contest between India’s middle-order batters and champion Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa could be a defining one in the 2023 World Cup final.
It is no secret that Virat Kohli has had his problems against the Aussie spinner, and the five-time champions will look to capitalize on the same. However, unlike some of their past tussles, when Kohli wasn’t at his best, the Indian batter is presently at the top of the game.
It’s not only about Kohli, though. How the likes of Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav deal with the Zampa threat will also be a significant factor in the final. When the two sides clashed at the start of the 2023 World Cup, Zampa registered figures of 0/53 in eight overs.
However, he has rediscovered his form in rather brilliant fashion since then and could pose a massive challenge to Team India in the final on Sunday.
#3 Bumrah’s opening burst against Warner, Head
If Rohit Sharma sets the tone for India with the bat, lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah does the same for the Men in Blue with the ball. The right-arm pacer has that rare ability to get an early wicket in almost every game. Bumrah kicked off the 2023 World Cup by dismissing Mitchell Marsh for a duck in Chennai. The wicket, in a way, set the tone of India’s spectacular campaign.
Bumrah kept picking up key wickets in subsequent matches, most of them early in his spell. In the semi-final against New Zealand, though, he failed to get the initial breakthrough and the Men in Blue were put under pressure briefly.
Australia might look to target Bumrah and unsettle him. The battle between the Indian pacer and Aussie openers, David Warner and Travis Head, promises to be a fascinating one.
#4 Will sensational Shami shine again?
Six matches, 23 wickets, average of 9.13, with three five-wicket hauls. Nothing much more needs to be said about Indian pacer Mohammed Shami’s fantabulous bowling performances in the 2023 World Cup.
One can only image how many wickets he would have had by now if he had played in India’s first four matches as well.
Shami’s strength is his near-perfect seam position and his ability to pick wickets while keeping things simple. The 33-year-old will look to do nothing different when he comes up against the Australians in the final.
But unlike some of the other opponents, Aussie batters will make a conscious not to allow Shami to settle into a line and length. Will they succeed is the big question.
#5 Australia’s middle order vs India’s spinners
India’s spinners were expected to play a big role in the team’s 2023 World Cup campaign. Both Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav have lived up to the expectations so far, claiming 16 and 15 wickets respectively. After the pacers have done their job, Jadeja and Kuldeep have ensured that the pressure is not eased on the opposition.
Australia’s middle order struggled in the semi-final against South Africa, with both Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi making an impact. This is one area of their game where the Aussies are vulnerable.
Kuldeep and Jadeja have the quality to exploit the weakness in Australia’s batting. As such, the battle between India’s spinners and Australia’s middle-order batters has the potential to have a huge bearing on the final result.
