3 things Australia need to do right to beat India in the 2023 World Cup Final
Contests don't get any bigger than this. Not only is the India vs Australia clash on Sunday, November 19, the 2023 World Cup Final, but it's also a meeting between two sides who have been rampant in recent times.
India have won their last 10 matches, and Australia their last eight. India have two World Cup trophies in their cabinet, and Australia have five. The Aussies inflicted deep scars on the Men in Blue back in the 2003 World Cup Final, something the hosts will be itching to exact revenge for.
Pat Cummins and the team management will know that they will need to play the game of their lives on Sunday, up against a team that is clearly the best in the world, especially on home soil. Tactically, the Aussies need to be at their absolute best, something they haven't always been this year despite their current unbeaten run.
Here are three things Australia need to do right to beat India in the 2023 World Cup Final.
#3 Mitchell Starc can't afford to bowl another wayward new-ball spell
Mitchell Starc has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2023 World Cup. The pacer, who is one of the most credentialed bowlers in the history of the tournament, has been wayward at all stages of the innings.
Starc did bowl his best spell of the competition in the semifinal against South Africa, picking up three wickets, but even that featured plenty of wides and relied on the fielders to save what seemed like certain boundaries.
Prior to the semifinal, Starc conceded 89, 66 and 70 runs in the last three matches he played in the league stage while picking up just three wickets over that phase. He has recorded more than two scalps in only one of his nine matches - the semifinal.
If Starc sprays the new ball all over the place, Rohit Sharma will find the boundary at will in his current form. Shubman Gill, who has enjoyed facing off against the left-armer before, will also enjoy himself.
#2 Australia need to replace Marnus Labuschagne with a dynamic all-rounder
Marnus Labuschagne seemed like a smart pick in the Australian middle order for the semifinal against South Africa, ahead of the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green. With the pitch at the Eden Gardens being a turner, Labuschagne's calming presence was a necessity in a low-scoring game.
However, Ahmedabad will offer a different set of challenges altogether, and Labuschagne looks out of place at No. 5. He doesn't have the strokeplay needed to make an impact at the position, especially on a pitch that hasn't really assisted spinners so far.
Australia could also use an additional fast-bowling option in either Stoinis or Green. Luckily for them, both all-rounders can be destructive on their day with the bat, something that could prove invaluable in a game like the 2023 World Cup Final.
The Aussies might not be willing to make a change for the high-octane clash, but replacing Labuschagne with either Stoinis or Green will certainly improve their chances of winning.
#1 Australia's top-order batters need to bat positively
Australia need to take a leaf out of India's book and understand that they can't let the opposition bowlers settle. They did just that in the semifinal against South Africa as David Warner and Travis Head raced away to 60 runs in the first six overs to put their team ahead of the eight ball.
This becomes all the more important against a bowling attack that features Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. All three fast bowlers are capable of running through lineups on any day, especially under the lights, and Australia's best course of action will be to attack and put them under pressure.
If Warner and Head start in a circumspect fashion, it will also open up opportunities for the Indian spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, to attack the slightly undercooked middle order. If Glenn Maxwell falls cheaply, the Aussies could have no way to make up for any initial dots played in the middle overs.