Australia vs India ODI series: A quick preview

Australian batting

Shaun Marsh (L) and Aaron Finch are the mainstays of the Australian batting line-up

With Glenn Maxwell in the side, Indians would have at least one batsmen that they would be wary of. Aaron Finch too, in the ODI format, is a much more reliable performer than he is in Tests. Similarly, Shaun Marsh tends to perform better in ODIs, especially in Australia, than in 5-day games. These three would be the spine of the Australian batting.

Usman Khawaja, Marcus Stoinis and Peter Handscomb have a big point to prove. Among them, Stoinis is one player that has shown potential and may well emerge as the trump card for Australia. But the most exciting prospect is wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey. Brought into the team after lack of runs from Tim Paine, he has impressed everyone in T20 tournaments and is expected to rise to the occasion in the ODI arena. With the World Cup around the corner, Australia are hoping that he ends their search for a wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs.

Indian middle-order woes

Virat Kohli (R) and Rohit Sharma have been carrying the load of Indian batting

For the longest time, the Indian batting line up has seemed very top-heavy. While the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli have been plundering runs, there has been lack of productivity from batsmen below them. With the World Cup fast approaching, there is a desperate need to find players for spots no. 4 to 7 in the batting line-up.

The selectors have gone with KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya along with the veteran MS Dhoni to fill these places. Rahul, Karthik, Jadhav and Pandya are all required to show more consistency. With Ambati Rayudu certain to be in the playing XI, this series is a do-or-die situation for all these batsmen. They have to cement their spots and prove themselves in foreign conditions. The make-up of the Indian middle-order is yet to be finalized and if the IPL this year produces some big performers with the bat, they too would come into the reckoning.