India vs Australia Match Prediction: Who will win today's 2nd ODI match?
These games do come thick and fast, don't they? Both India and Australia will have a keen eye on the workload of the personnel they put out for the second ODI, which comes just one day (of rest) after the opener in Mohali on Friday.
The two teams gear up to face off in Indore on Sunday (September 24) before the all-important third ODI. That will see the return of four frontline players - Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav - for the hosts.
India's problems are slowly working themselves out. Even Suryakumar Yadav, whose ODI career has spluttered and trundled along without any real results for the most part, notched up a valuable half-century in a well-orchestrated chase.
If Shreyas Iyer, who hasn't been able to make an immediate impact on his comeback from injury, can get going, it's safe to say that the Men in Blue will enter the World Cup 2023 firing on all cylinders.
Australia, meanwhile, have been hit by an injury bug so severe that it has had an impact on more than half their squad. They're slowly working towards having a full contingent to select from, but the second ODI is probably a bit too soon to expect that to happen.
There's also the issue of Travis Head, who suffered a serious hand injury against South Africa and is, in all likelihood, out of the World Cup picture.
Nevertheless, the Aussies' first-choice playing XI is one brimming with talent and experience in all departments. As long as they don't rush players back, the record World Cup winners will be well-placed to add to their trophy cabinet.
IND vs AUS 2023: India look to close the show before the regulars return
India took a 1-0 lead in the three-game series, with most of their batters contributing in the opener. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul recorded fifties apart from Suryakumar.
Mohali produced a fairly flat track, although there was some assistance for everyone involved at times. Indore is expected to take that one step further, with the venue having produced high-scoring games throughout its recent history.
While the Indian batters will welcome that, their bowlers might not, especially if the hosts decide to rest Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled his full quota of ten overs for the first time since his injury comeback. Without Kuldeep Yadav, things could easily go wrong for Rahul and Co.
Australia, meanwhile, are slowly ironing out the kinks in their batting armor. Steve Smith, for example, looked horribly rusty in Mohali and barely found the middle of his bat. He, along with the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Cam Green, will want to make meaningful contributions ahead of the World Cup.
Both teams are evenly matched, especially after the chopping and changing that's bound to go on with an eye on the World Cup. While it's very tough to predict a winner, India have been in barnstorming form recently and should continue their golden run to seal the series.
Prediction: India to win the 2nd ODI