3 things India need to do right to beat Australia in the 2023 World Cup Final
It's been more than 12 years since Team India won a World Cup, and they will have the chance to once again claim cricket's ultimate prize on home soil. The Men in Blue will face off against Australia in the final of the 2023 edition in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19.
India are up against a challenging opposition, one that has won their last eight games. The Aussies held their nerve in a thrilling semifinal against South Africa to book their spot in the summit clash, which is a high-profile game they know all too well with five titles to their name.
Rohit Sharma and his men have been tactically on point throughout the tournament, and they can't afford to take their foot off the pedal now. They will have outlined their plans already, and some of them will undoubtedly involve the following.
Here are three things India need to do right to beat Australia in the 2023 World Cup Final.
#3 India can't let Adam Zampa escape without punishment
Australia's success is directly linked to the fortunes of their star spinner, Adam Zampa. The leggie is the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2023 World Cup, with 22 scalps to his name, and has come up with plenty of match-winning displays.
However, when Zampa hasn't been economical and penetrative, Australia have understandably struggled. In their group-stage loss to India, he bowled eight wicketless overs for 53 runs. In their defeat to South Africa, his 10 overs went for 70 and fetched just one wicket.
Even in the second semifinal, South Africa attacked Zampa despite playing on a spin-friendly surface to worm their way back into the game. The 31-year-old spinner's style of bowling means that a few full balls in the slot are inevitable, and India need to capitalize on those.
At a ground like Ahmedabad, where spinners have struggled in most matches, Zampa having an off-day could spell doom for the Aussies.
#2 The Men in Blue need to stick to what has worked for them so far in both departments
The batting lineup revolves around the stability offered by Virat Kohli. Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav have the freedom to play their shots around the No. 3 anchor.
At the top of the order, meanwhile, Rohit Sharma's role is abundantly clear. The opener is responsible for finding early boundaries and setting the tone in the powerplay to put pressure on the opposition. That is something he did to great effect in the semifinal against South Africa.
India's roles while batting and bowling are well-defined, and they shouldn't deviate from the norm due to factors such as the high-profile nature of the game and the consequent weight of expectations on their shoulders.
There's a reason why the Men in Blue are unbeaten so far in the 2023 World Cup, and they need to stick to what has worked for them so far in both departments. Except one thing...
#1 Mohammed Shami needs to take the new ball
Mohammed Shami averages around four against left-handers in the 2023 World Cup. In the calendar year, he averages just over 14, three points better than Mohammed Siraj, who has been Jasprit Bumrah's new-ball partner throughout the competition so far.
Australia obviously have two left-handers at the top, David Warner and Travis Head. If Shami can take the new ball and operate from around the wicket, he could put the Aussie openers under serious pressure. The veteran fast bowler challenges both edges and could cramp the opposition batters for room.
Siraj's somewhat indifferent form also adds tactical benefit to this move. He could come on as the first change and not worry about taking wickets, instead relying on his accuracy to keep things tight in the second half of the powerplay.
The in-form Shami taking the new ball might have to be the only tweak India make in either department during the 2023 World Cup.