VIRAT KOHLI’S INDIA EYE PERFECT 10, OZ AIM TO BREAK JINX
As Warner plays his 100th ODI, Virat looks to go one up on Dhoni by taking India to their 10th straight win
BANGALORE: The current IndiaAustralia series has witnessed some peculiar patterns. India dominating, Australia collapsing, Hardik Pandya hurting them every time, Glenn Maxwell dismissed by Yuzvendra Chahal in each game and rain accompanying the two teams everywhere.
In the Chennai, Kolkata and Indore ODIs, rain dominated the buildup. The situation is no different here and the India team’s practice was ruined by a steady drizzle. The forecast on match day is not too promising.
However, the new M Chinnaswamy Stadium has drainage that dries the outfield quickly. Thanks to the subsurface aeration system, play can resume within minutes if it stops raining.
For Virat Kohli’s side, rain or no rain, they have established a blueprint that has served them well. With the series won, India will not only be gunning for a 5-0 whitewash but will want a perfect 10, their best winning streak in ODIs.
PROBLEM OF PLENTY
Virat Kohli is spoilt for options in the current squad. The depth of talent, both in bowling and batting, is so deep that India might have a tough task in determining the playing XI. It is this intense competition for places, looking at it from the experimentation prism for the 2019 World Cup that gives this Indian team a certain edge. Manish Pandey acknowledged in the pre-match presser that this pressure only motivates him to work harder.
In the practice session on Tuesday, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami had a decent bowling workout and Kohli might be tempted to rest either Jasprit Bumrah or Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The key on this wicket will be Yuzvendra Chahal. The 27-year-old leg-spinner has a great record here, having taken 6/25 in the T20I against England in February.
Steve Smith’s side has lost 11 out of 13 overseas ODIs. They arrive at a venue where they have won only one out of four games. India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has had a field day in taunting the Australians, from calling for the return of Michael Clarke to stating that the current team is like “Sri Lanka in yellow.”
Australia are in a similar situation that India faced Down Under in 2016. After losing the first four games, India won the fifth ODI and the three T20Is.
David Warner, who will be playing his 100th ODI, has said there is still plenty at stake and they will give their best. “We have to make the most of the remaining five games. Even though the series is lost, we still have two more ODIs and three T20Is,” Warner said.
Steve Smith’s side faces an uphill task to arrest their losing streak overseas. Their task will not get easier at their bogey venue.