IND v AUS playing 11 and toss updates for today’s match – 2nd December 2020
The Indiav Australia ODI series is already sealed but both sides would want to gain momentum ahead of the scheduled three T20Is and four Tests. While Australia would aim to keep their winning run going, India would want to get back to winning ways in the third and final ODI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday (December 2).
The 2-0 lead will accord the hosts some luxury to rest key players, but they do have some injury concerns to deal with. David Warner has been ruled out of the remaining ODI and the following 3-match T20I series with a groin injury, and fast bowler Pat Cummins has been rested for the same.
D’Arcy Short – who might open with Aaron Finch – has been added to the white ball squads, while head coach Justin Langer has a posse of options to chose a like-for-like replacement for Cummins.
India, on the other hand, face the same prospect of giving a chance to some of their fringe players albeit under different circumstances. The much-talked about getting the balance of the side right can be solved by trusting Hardik Pandya to bowl more than the four overs he delivered in the second ODI.
Considering the changes India have rung in, it will be interesting to see how left-arm pacer T Natarajan fares on his debut, and if he can address India’s bowling woes and nail the yorkers like he consistently did in IPL 2020. The visitors have opted to drop Yuzvendra Chahal to bring in Kuldeep Yadav, with the latter having enjoyed good success against the Australians.
All in all, the third ODI is far from a dead rubber with both sides wanting to end the series on a high, and some players trying to find their mojo. And for some of them, it would be an opportunity to make an immediate mark and cement their place for the rest of the tour.
India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul (w), Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan
Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Steve Smith, D’Arcy Short, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Daniel Sams, Alex Carey (w), Matthew Wade, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye
IND v AUS 3rd ODI: Who won the toss today?
India won the toss in the 3rd ODI and opted to bat first.
What is the playing XI for today’s IND v AUS match?
India’s playing XI: Shubman Gill, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, T Natarajan
Australia’s playing XI: Aaron Finch (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Alex Carey (w), Cameron Green, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood