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India face Australia at the 2023 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 19. India beat New Zealand in Mumbai, while Australia got the better of South Africa in Kolkata to book their places in the title match.
The 2023 World Cup finalists have met each other 13 times in the ODI World Cup, with the Kangaroos leading 8-5. However, the Men in Blue have won their last two World Cup encounters against the Aussies, including one earlier in the tournament.
Ideally, Rohit Sharma's men would have preferred facing South Africa in the final. However, beating the Aussies on such a grand stage could be much sweeter. Without further ado, let's look at three reasons why India would be happier to face Australia than South Africa in the 2023 World Cup final.
#1 Avenging the 2003 World Cup final loss
The older generation of cricket fans will remember the 2003 World Cup final vividly. After Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden stitched up a 100-run parternship, Ricky Ponting went into sixth gear and played a once-in-a-lifetime knock. His unbeaten 140 propelled his team to a mammoth total of 359-2.
In response, India were bundled out for 234 in the 40th over. Virender Sehwag's 82 was the shining light in an otherwise dull batting effort by the Men in Blue. This crushing defeat will be firmly etched in the memories of cricket fans from the 2000s. The Sourav Ganguly-led side came within one win of winning the 2003 World Cup, but the mighty Australians stopped them.
In contrast, the Men in Blue are a much more formidable side now. The bully and victim narrative between Australia and India is no longer relevant, as India have given the Aussies a run for their money in the last few years.
Hence, facing the Baggy Green presents a great opportunity to get one over the 2003 World Cup winners.
#2 Rahul Dravid has some unfinished business with the Aussies
Rahul Dravid was part of the famous 1990s and 2000s Indian team that played some great cricket but eventually bowed out against the superior Australian sides. He's now the coach of the Men in Blue, and it will be a fairytale story if his side wins the 2023 World Cup final.
Dravid was the captain of India's 2007 World Cup squad. The tournament, though, was an absolute disaster for the Men in Blue, as they were knocked out in the group stage after defeats to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Australia went on to win the tournament.
Moreover, Dravid wasn't part of the 2011 World Cup-winning side, as he had retired from ODI cricket by then. Hence, winning the 2023 World Cup final by beating the Aussies will be a sweet victory for Dravid as well, who fought hard against the Kangaroos throughout his career.
#3 India have the chance to make a statement by beating Australia in the 2023 World Cup final
Beating South Africa in the 2023 World Cup final would have been easier on paper, considering the two teams' record in knockout games.
However, it wouldn't have been a statement victory. Australia have a phenomenal track record in ODI World Cup final. They haven't lost one since 1996, winning the last four.
The Pat Cummins-led team are undoubtedly the greatest team in ODI history. Winning five World Cups out of 12 is no mean feat, which is why Rohit Sharma's men would prefer to beat them in the final instead of South Africa.
India are playing top-notch cricket and look unstoppable at the moment, with 10 wins in as many games. If there was ever a time to face the beat the mighty Aussies - who are on an eight-game win streak of their own - in a World Cup final, it's now.
