India's strongest ODI playing XI for Australia tour

The Indian Cricket team will travel to Australia in November 2018 to play 3 T20s, 3 ODIs and 4 Tests from the 21st of November 2018 to the 18th of January 2019. This will be a huge series for India as they'd want to prove themselves in away Test tours and also in the context of the 2019 World Cup.

The series will be key to the team's future, as it will not just test the cricketers' abilities in difficult conditions abroad, but on top of that will a be a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. India is among one of the leading contenders to lift the 2019 World Cup which will be held in England.

This is the right time for India to register an away ODI series victory because the current Australian ODI side is a little fragile. The last time India was there Australia won the ODI series 4-1.

This is a try to forge an 11 which will be perhaps India's best team to take on the Kangaroos Down-under.

Openers - Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan

Opening is one area where there are a lot of contenders in the Indian team.

It is almost certain that India's tried and tested opening combination, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan will open the batting in the ODI series against Australia. The southpaw loves batting in tough conditions and will get another opportunity to prove how dominating and consistent he can be in the ODIs. The aggressive Dhawan must try and get India off to a flying start.

Perhaps the most successful opening batsman in the limited-overs format over the past three years, Rohit Sharma will accompany Dhawan at the top of the order. Rohit Sharma likes to play against Australia, as he averages 66.38 against them.