India vs Australia Match Prediction: Who will win today's 1st ODI match?
Can you feel the drums intensifying in the background? The 2023 World Cup is almost here, and India will kick off their campaign with a high-octane clash against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
Before that, the FTP presents an excellent chance for the Men in Blue to get acclimatized to their opponents, with a three-match ODI series all set to commence on Friday, September 22. The opening game will be held in Mohali.
India have rested four of their biggest names for the first two matches. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav won't be in action, while the fast bowlers will probably be rested and rotated despite being part of the squad for all three matches.
Australia, meanwhile, named a full-strength squad before Travis Head suffered a serious injury against South Africa, somewhat disturbing their plans. Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell are among those who are in line to return from the sidelines, with a number of other players dealing with the odd niggle.
So the first two matches between India and Australia might not be an accurate reflection of where the two teams stand right now, but they will get the chance to answer the remaining questions before embarking on their respective World Cup campaigns.
IND vs AUS 2023: Heavyweights slug it out in Mohali ahead of World Cup
In David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, Australia will have an ideal opening pair, assuming they don't play Matthew Short in place of Head so late in the piece. The aggressive opening duo will have their task cut out against Jasprit Bumrah and Co., who were in excellent rhythm in the Asia Cup.
The track in Mohali is expected to be a rather flat one, and without Kuldeep Yadav, the hosts might struggle to find wickets in the middle overs. Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar, who have been in and out of the team across formats for various reasons, will not find it easy to make up for Kuldeep's absence.
Mitchell Starc isn't expected to suit up for the opening game, so Suryakumar Yadav might breathe a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, the Aussies have a decent pace attack, with one of the world's best ODI spinners in Adam Zampa intent on breaking an ongoing spell of indifferent form.
Both teams aren't expected to take the first game as seriously as they would without the World Cup context, so it's tough to predict a winner for the contest. The toss and the personnel on display could prove to be decisive factors.
Australia's new-ball bowlers could set the tone for the match if they manage to dismiss India's in-form openers early, with the hosts' middle order looking a bit undercooked without Kohli and Hardik. Kuldeep will also be a big miss for India.
The visitors might be the slight favorites for the first ODI, although it could just as easily go the other way.
Prediction: Australia to win the 1st ODI.