Team India will be hosting Australia in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday (March 17). India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 by 2-1 and enter the three-match ODI series as favorites. The Indian team whitewashed New Zealand and Sri Lanka at home earlier this series. They remain unbeaten in ODIs this year ahead of the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at home.
Australia last played ODIs in November in a three-match series at home after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2022. They won all three ODIs in dominating fashion against England. But they will be missing captain Pat Cummins and a star fast bowler, Josh Hazlewood due to various reasons. Glenn Maxwell is declared fit for the upcoming game as he returns from his lengthy leg injury.
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The hosts are also missing captain Rohit Sharma for the first ODI due to family commitments. Ishan Kishan will likely open in Rohit’s absence, while Suryakumar Yadav or Rahul Tripathi will come into the playing XI in the absence of injured Shreyas Iyer. These two sides have met each other in a total of 143 ODIs so far, with India winning 53 and Australia winning 80. Another exciting series is anticipated here between these two teams once again.
India
In Rohit Sharma’s absence, Ishan Kishan should slot in at the top of the order, while Suryakumar Yadav bats at No.4. The real selection dilemmas for India’s think-tank could be around which finger spinner and which wrist spinner to go with.
Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik
Australia
For Australia, the big toss-up will be about which of their all-rounders can fit in. They will have to pick one between Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis. Most of the other batters in the line-up pick themselves.
Probable XI: Travis Head, David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh/Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
KL Rahul, David Warner, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Hardik Pandya, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
KL Rahul, David Warner, Virat Kohli (c), Steve Smith (vc), Shubman Gill, Mitchell Marsh, Ravindra Jadeja, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Mohammed Siraj
