3 things to look forward to in the 2nd India vs Australia ODI ft. Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli's form

The Adelaide Oval will play host to the second ODI between India and Australia on Thursday, October 23. The visitors are currently 1-0 down in the three-match series, having lost the opening encounter at the Optus Stadium in Perth by seven wickets.

Rain ensured that the series opener was something of a damp squib, but clear and colorful skies are expected in Adelaide. While India will want to pull level in the series and push it to a decider, the hosts will be keen on securing a rare bilateral triumph over the 2025 Champions Trophy winners.

An enthralling contest between two world-class sides is on the cards.

India’s ODI squad for the Australia tour: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Australia's ODI squad for the India series: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc. Games two and three only: Adam Zampa, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis.

On that note, here are three things to look forward to in the second ODI between India and Australia.

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#3 Can Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli contribute?

India v New Zealand: Final - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

The first ODI saw Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli make their long-awaited returns to international cricket. While Rohit tried to slog his way out of the new ball before perishing to Josh Hazlewood, Kohli bagged a duck while trying to force the pace against Mitchell Starc.

In Adelaide, the pressure will be on the experienced duo, who no longer seem indispensible to the 50-over side. The 2027 World Cup is a long way away, and India will know that their ageing veterans - who play only one of the three formats - might not be at their fittest or sharpest.

Can they contribute and silence some of their many doubters?

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#2 Can India negotiate Adam Zampa through the middle overs?

New Zealand v Australia: 3rd T20 - Source: Getty

Australia went in with Matt Kuhnemann as their specialist spinner in Perth. The left-arm spinner delivered two important wickets, but he's expected to be replaced by the returning Adam Zampa in the second ODI.

Zampa has had a number of interesting battles against India's batters over the years. Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have all come up against the wily leg-spinner on several occasions, and these battles have been fairly even.

Can India counter Zampa through the middle overs? If they lose a few wickets to the spinner in that phase, their decision to beef up their batting depth might prove inconsequential.

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#1 Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and a tryst with Adelaide

India v New Zealand: Final - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

More than a decade ago, Kohli made his Test captaincy debut in Adelaide, smacking twin tons in a lost cause. Recently, Shubman Gill took to the field in his first ODI as Indian skipper in Perth.

Gill, who joined Kohli on the list of Indian captains to have lost their first match in charge of all three formats, will have the opportunity to set the record straight at a venue that the senior man once owned. The opening batter will hope that the short square boundaries play right into his hands, and given his prowess against pace and bounce, the visitors will hope that he delivers.

Gill won't be kept out of the runs for too long in the 50-over format, and his form is certainly something to keep an eye on.