India start their tour of Australia at the WACA in Perth. Follow all the action of the first ODI of this series on The Roar from 2:20pm (AEDT).
Australia and India are ranked one and two respectively in the ICC one-day rankings, but what makes this an even more interesting contest is both sides’ selectors have shown the wherewithal to experiment with the lineups.
World Cup winners Australia enter the series with five of their players absent from that tournament-winning final against New Zealand. Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin have all retired, Shane Watson has been dropped, while Mitchell Starc is injured.
India, after an underwhelming 2015 following their semi-final exit in the World Cup to Australia, have dropped Suresh Raina and Stuart Binny from the squad, while Mohammad Shami is last-minute exclusion on account of a re-injury.
This gives fans a chance to watch their sides rebuild in the lead-up to the next World Cup, to be played in England in 2019.
For Australia, there are no surprises at the top, with David Warner and Aaron Finch opening, and captain Steven Smith in at three.
George Bailey’s fine BBL05 form enables him a spot in the final XI at the expense of Shaun Marsh, who was himself going through a decent patch while Glenn Maxwell will be the first of three all-rounders to bat. Mitchell Marsh and James Faulkner are the other two, with the latter returning to the Australian international squad for the first time since that World Cup final in which he was the man of the match.
The pace bowling department sees Josh Hazlewood leading the attack, and with two debutants in Scott Boland and Joel Paris in as well.
Although India’s XI isn’t named, there will be new faces in the line-up.
Shami’s injury means India may have to play the little-known Barinder Sran for the first time in an ODI, while the absence of Raina could allow one of Manish Pandey or Gurkeerat Singh Mann to make the XI.
There’s also the case of the all-rounder’s spot at number seven, and depending on what the selectors think of Rishi Dhawan’s utility on a bouncy WACA, either he or Ravindra Jadeja could be selected.
Interestingly, Ishant Sharma didn’t play either of India’s two warm-up games, suggesting Dhawan could be played ahead of him, with both Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja as the two spinners.
India come into the series with a very poor record in Australia, having won just ten ODIs out of the 41 they have played in the country. They did win the tri-series title in 2008, there but had a woeful time in the lead-up to the World Cup last year, when they didn’t win a single game against Australia and England.
Can India turn things around? At WACA, which showed signs of pace and bounce during their two warm-up games, things could be difficult.
Follow the live scores and blog of this Australia vs India ODI from 2:20pm (AEDT), and post your comments in the section below.
Follow Suneer on Twitter @suneerchowdhary
Offsideman
Roar Rookie
I loved it! See a little bit of ticker from the Indians is great, and Warner had to cop it cause he sucked but Steve gave it back to him once we were on top and won the game. That's cricket.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I agree on Australia's Test decks they've been a major disappointment the past 2 seasons, apart from a couple of Tests. But ODI decks all over the world these days are flat as a tack because the powers that be want massive scores and I don't see that changing, particularly with the way T20 has made fans thirsty for constant fours and sixes.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Having some words to say is different to running down the pitch and screaming in the batsman's face. Something that Australian bowlers have been criticised for (correctly), so why are Indian bowlers allowed to get away with it?
Jameswm
Guest
Smith didn't start it and you know that. Smith was returning serve. I don't think that Sran deserves any sanctions, but Dhoni is a complete goose with what he said.
Stevo
Guest
Pot calling the kettle black there soon, Smith gave a serve every time he hit that bowler for runs, when it comes to sledging Australia have zero grounds for complaints
Bobbo7
Guest
Australia was traditionally one of the few countries that put competitive cricket first -its just a shame Ronan as the game has descended into batting fests. They might as well use bowling machines. And its not like Australia has been producing competitive Test decks either - it just leads to less interesting contests where good players make tons of trash runs.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
So any disciplinary action taken over Sran's boorish behaviour? Or Dohni's post-match conspiracy accusations? Of course not...
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Just because everyone is doing it doesn't make it right! And isn't the reason for big scores in NZ due to the postage stamp sized grounds?
Don Freo
Guest
That is testament to strong, disciplined Aussie bowling. To only go at 6/over when the ball is not deviating and the outfield is lightning quick indicates bowling to plans even when the pay off is miniscule.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Seems the new Indian kid on the block upset some of the Aussies. B.Sran gave Dave Warner a right old send-off when Warner lost his wicket. From here things got worse, to the point that by the 40h over, S.Smith was giving the bowler a gob-full everytime he hit Sran for runs. Smith must have been royally cheesed off to lose his wicket to Sran considering the built-up animosity between Sran and the Aussie batsmen. Karma is sure sweet with chutney; I wonder how India felt about DRS after G.Bailey escaped the finger up on first ball. And how good was R.Sharma's innings, that boy sure can play. Am not sure what it is with S.Boland and the love-in he has with the selectors. I just don't rate him as an international class fast bowler. I know he has done well in this year's Sheffield Shield but I'm starting to think his numbers are inflated by batsmen trying to slog him out of the park; in other words they think he serves up meat pies. In the BBL, he rarely gets over 135kph, gets belted in every match and I have seen him swing just one ball in the whole BBL. I know its T20 "mickey mouse" cricket but it surely is some indication of a bowler's talent. Knowing the lack of available players through injury, I would have preferred to see Kane Richardson or even Doug the Rug in there instead.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Bobbo7 I know you have a bee on your bonnet about Aussie pitches but which country these days doesn't produce absolute roads for ODI games? Your Kiwis scored at just under 7 runs per over across their 5-game series at home against Sri Lanka.
Bobbo7
Guest
Well I do wonder if Indian batman were batting for their averages. Should have made 330 plus from that position and to be only 3 down for 309 was poor form where they were. Rubbish road pitch again. All Australia does these days, meaning guys like Smith belt the crap out of popgun attacks game after game.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Interesting to see Indian debutant Sran gave Warner a massive send-off - screamed at him and then followed it up with any another big yell in his face.
bigmick01
Guest
kohli tactics. Once msd retires ---- india --- no hope
SpongeBob
Guest
India will be disappointed. They could have easily reached 330, maybe even 340. That would have made it a different game. Odd tactics, 1/250 odd and still plodding along. Smith & Bailey did very well to settle Australia and get it within reach. Once it was a run a ball for the finish with players like Faulkner in the shed it was all too easy.
bigmick01
Guest
310 never good enough. Pay attention. 380 + needed here. Kohli needs to be dropped.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
No Starc, Johnson, Cummins or NCN...Australia's bowling looked thin but their batting remains supreme. And the likes of Khawaja, Burns, Lynn, S. Marsh, Klinger and Ferguson can't even get a look in when they'd be in the starting XIs of most other international sides.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A comprehensive nature of win despite there being just four balls remaining in the end. The game was gone from India's grasp long before that and it was thanks to that sterling partnership between George Bailey and Steven Smith. Bailey was lucky to survive a caught-behind first ball he faced, and then there were three missed run-outs as well. He made them count rather well though, going on to hit a crisp century. Steven Smith, on the other hand, looked like he was continuing from where he had left off last season against India. Frankly, I am not sure the Indian bowlers have too many answers for him and things will only get worse from here. I thought 310 was a decent score. Also thought there was oneness in the Australian bowling attack. The Australian batsmen - and MS Dhoni's captaincy - ensured there was nothing to worry. What that means is going into the second ODI, there will be question-marks around India's bowling. What do they do from here on? More of it at the Gabba. Have a good one...
bigmick01
Guest
Tonight's man of the match ---- not Rohit and not Virat!!!! obviously
bigmick01
Guest
Kohi 97 balls for not very much handed this game to aus on a platter. Time for india to rethink their squad