India vs Australia 2019: 3 Indian players who will be under pressure to perform in the third ODI

India snatched the victory from Australia's jaws in the second ODI at Nagpur. There were some notable performances from the game which could influence the selectors' minds during India's team selection for the 2019 World Cup.

The Australian captain Aaron Finch asked India to bat first after winning the toss. The top order consisting of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Ambati Rayudu went back early. India promoted Vijay Shankar ahead of MS Dhoni. It paid rich dividends for India as he responded with an eye-catching innings. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder made 46 runs before he got run out at the non-striker's end. Virat Kohli's 40th ODI century ensured that India posted a fighting 250 runs on the board.

Australia were off to a good start in a tricky chase. The openers added 83 runs for the first wicket before being dismissed in quick succession. India kept picking up wickets at regular intervals to keep themselves in the game.

Jasprit Bumrah's brilliant spell left India with 20 runs to defend in the last two overs. Mohammad Shami conceded nine runs in the 49th over. Kohli threw the ball to Shankar, who had bowled one over in the innings. But Shankar was effective, picking the remaining two wickets, and India went 2-0 up in the five-match series.

However, there will be three Indians who will be under pressure to deliver in the next game.

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#3 Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan is almost a certainty for the World Cup. But he has been inconsistent in the past few games. In the last 17 innings, Dhawan has made only one century, in the 2018 Asia Cup against Pakistan. Since then he has managed to cross 50 runs only twice.

The left-hander also recorded two golden ducks during this span. He will be under pressure to deliver in the next game to find his touch ahead of the World Cup. Also, the backup opener KL Rahul made a considerable case for himself with two good innings in the T20I series.

#2 Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Rayudu

India has looked at Ambati Rayudu as a proper number four for India. He delivered a few quality innings during the New Zealand series. He has an ODI batting average nearing 50. But in cricket, it is all about momentum when you step into big tournaments like the World Cup.

Rayudu has managed to score only one half-century in the last nine ODI innings, which includes two ducks. The half-century came when he made a match-winning 90 against New Zealand in the final ODI.

But in the Australia series, he has failed to deliver in both the games. On the other hand, Vijay Shankar's performance in the second ODI made people to think of the Tamil Nadu all-rounder as the right option for the number four slot. He looked elegant in two ODI innings he has played so far.

Also, he can chip in with the ball whenever needed as he did in the second ODI. If Rayudu doesn't deliver in the next three games his World Cup selection might be in trouble.

#1 Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja is easily one of the best fielders not only in the Indian team but in fact one of the best in the world. The run-out he affected against Australia sums up Jadeja as a fielder. He had a decent first game against Australia as he conceded only 33 runs and didn't get the opportunity to bat.

He got the opportunity to bat in the second ODI and played a decent supporting role to Kohli. When he tried to unleash, he got out for 21 runs in 40 balls. He also took the crucial wicket of Shaun Marsh with the ball. However, he will be under pressure to deliver a match-winning performance in the next game to give a strong signal to the selectors ahead of the World Cup.

Once Hardik Pandya is back and if Shankar raises the bar further, it will add more pressure on India's spinning all-rounder to deliver. Everyone needs to be on their toes since getting selected for the Indian World Cup squad is a highly competitive affair.

Hence, the next few games are crucial for these three players.