IND v AUS Prediction: Who will win the India v Australia 1st ODI?

After a break of almost nine months and another month spent dissecting team selection, India are set to stage a return to international cricket. They take on hosts Australia in a six-match limited overs series, which starts with the first ODI tomorrow (November 27) at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Even though it now seems a lifetime ago, Virat Kohli and Co. come on the back of a 0-3 drubbing at the hands of New Zealand in an away ODI series in February this year. Australia, on the other hand, beat England 2-1 away in September.

That said, a 53-day IPL 2020 flanked by a healthy chunk of quarantine period on either side has more or less got players from both sides on equal footing. Additionally, the rich vein of form shown by the players in the 13th edition of the IPL and the Marsh Sheffield Shield recently has thrown up selection headaches for both managements.

By the look of it, India would want to continue from where they left in the final ODI against the Kiwis in Mount Maunganui. Even though Mayank Agarwal managed a meagre 36 runs in the 3-match ODI series, Ravi Shastri would want him to open alongside Shikhar Dhawan – especially after the former scored 424 runs in 11 outings in the recently-concluded IPL.

That means KL Rahul – who scored a 113-ball 112 in the third ODI – would don the wicketkeeper’s role batting at No. 5. Ahead of him would be skipper Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, who scored his maiden ODI hundred on that tour, at the much talked about No. 4 slot.

Though there is a cloud of uncertainty over Hardik Pandya’s fitness to bowl, he will be a more-than-handy batsman at six. He will be followed by Ravindra Jadeja who, apart from sending down frugal overs in the middle, developed a penchant in IPL 2020 for smashing lusty blows at the death.

Apart from Jadeja, India are most likely to give leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal the nod ahead of Kuldeep Yadav to complement the pace triumvirate of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Navdeep Saini.

Australia, on the other hand, have choices to make in the middle order. While David Warner, Aaron Finch and Steve Smith comprise a healthy top 3, they are spoilt for choices in the all-rounder department. Aussie head coach Justin Langer recently voiced his opinion about the need to have three all-rounders who could bowl at least 10 overs among them.

Steve Smith – who missed the England ODIs due to concussion – will return to the side and Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out due to an ankle injury. It seems like either Moises Henriques or 21-year-old Cameron Green could replace Marnus Labuschagne in Australia's playing XI from the final ODI against England.

That will mean the Australian middle order will be packed with Marcus Stoinis, Henriques/Green, Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell – in that order. The bowling attack looks set for the hosts as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa make for arguably one of the best line-ups in the world.

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IND v AUS 2020: India v Australia match prediction

Though India and Australia start afresh and on level ground, it can be argued that the hosts will go into tomorrow’s contest as the favourites. Apart from having the home advantage, the Aaron Finch-led side looks the more balanced of the two on paper.

Yes, the overall structure of both teams is similar. Yes, Virat Kohli likes to rack up hundreds Down Under. But one shouldn’t forget that the contribution of individual performance in deciding the outcome of a match is not so much in ODIs as it is in T20s.

Australia boast of a fiery bowling attack, along with guys who can shift gears at will with the bat and step up with the ball in hand. This will ensure that they enter the opening match of what is primed to be a blockbuster tour as the favorites.

Prediction: Australia to win.

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