India Predicted Playing 11 vs Australia for Match 5 of 2023 World Cup

Team India will commence their 2023 World Cup campaign with a high-octane clash against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.

The Men in Blue are sweating over the availability of Shubman Gill, who is down with a bout of dengue. While captain Rohit Sharma claimed that the opener is still not ruled out of the tournament opener, it's likely that the side might not have their first-choice XI on the field.

India's squad for the 2023 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.

Here is India's predicted playing XI for Match 5 of the 2023 World Cup against Australia.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Ishan Kishan

India will be led by Rohit Sharma for the first time in the 50-over World Cup

Rohit Sharma has been in excellent form of late and will need to deliver throughout the World Cup. The opener's run in the 2019 edition of the tournament is the stuff of legend, and he will be keen on replicating the same.

With Gill unlikely to be fit on Sunday, India will field Ishan Kishan at the top of the order alongside Rohit. The left-hander has been groomed as a backup opener over the last year and played some scintillating knocks earlier this year at the position.

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Middle Order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk)

India will need Virat Kohli to be at his absolute best

Virat Kohli knows a thing or two about stepping up on the big stage, and that's just what India will need him to do against one of his favorite oppositions. The star batter's gears against spin will be tested in Chennai, but he should be able to pull through.

Shreyas Iyer made a statement in the preceding ODI series against the Aussies and will be raring to go in his first World Cup. The No. 4 batter's game against spin will serve India well throughout the competition.

KL Rahul is one of the world's best ODI middle-order batters and will be expected to continue his good run. He will also don the gloves for India ahead of Kishan.

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All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja

India will be sweating over Ravindra Jadeja's batting form

India's all-rounders are essential to the composition of the team. While Hardik Pandya is arguably their most important player in the 50-over format, Ravindra Jadeja's superb bowling and fielding have been integral to the side's success of late.

However, Jadeja's batting form is a major concern, with the left-hander having a miserable record in ODIs over the last two years. He needs to find his bearings and come up with some meaningful displays at No. 7.

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Bowlers: Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav

Will Jasprit Bumrah replicate his heroics from the last World Cup?

The conditions at Chepauk are expected to prompt India to play a third spinner, with Ravichandran Ashwin all set to feature in his hometown. The veteran offie will also add some batting depth at No. 8.

Rohit and Co. will be tempted to play Mohammed Shami to add some bite to their pace attack, but they will probably have to settle with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj for now in Chennai.

Kuldeep Yadav, who has been India's biggest wicket-taking threat through the middle overs, will also have a massive role to play.