The 3 match ODI series between India and Australia is to start at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai .Several members of the Indian cricket team, including caretaker captain Hardik Pandya, began training at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday ahead of the ODI series against Australia. However, all eyes are on wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, who are competing with all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for a place in the final XI. Fifth spin bowling all-rounder Akshar Patel is also in the fray
Kuldeep and Chahal will look to showcase their googlies, flippers and leg breaks in the three-match ODI series against Australia starting on Friday to strengthen their claim for the World Cup later this year. Washington and Jadeja have a good grip in both bowling and batting but when it comes to spin skills, Kuldeep and Chahal have been better in this format. Akshar gives the team another option. Thus, India has many contenders on the spin bowling front.
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Regular captain Rohit Sharma will not be able to play in the first ODI in Mumbai due to family commitments and for the match, stand-in captain Hardik was among the players who practiced for more than two hours with the white ball. Suryakumar Yadav, Kishan and Hardik also practiced batting for a long time. Siraj, who played till the third Test in Indore, also spent a lot of time batting against spinners and fast bowlers. Other players who took part in the practice included fast bowlers Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik and Shardul Thakur. The Australian players also took part in the practice session in the afternoon.
In Rohit’s absence , Gill & Rahul is expected to open followed by Kohli at 3 & Surya Kumar Yadav at 4 . Shreyas Iyer is missing this series due to back issue and Ishan Kishan is likely to bat at 5 and keep the wickets followed by Hardik Pandya . With a surfeit of all rounders it remains to be seen what will be India’s bowling combination in 1st game .
Australia will be without their two best bowlers skipper Cummins and Hazlewood . Cummins has family commitments and Hazlewood is recovering from an injury . Starc , Abbot and one of the allrounders Green , Stoinis and Mitch Marsh are likely to form the pace attack while Ashton Agar is back along with Zampa to provide the spin options .
David Warner is fit and back after suffering an injury during the tests and is expected to open the batting with Travis Head followed by Smith, Labuschagne and Maxwell. With a strong allrounders presence , Australia is expected to provide strong challenge to India .
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India 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 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
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkatt
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa