The three-match series being played between Australia and India now moves on to the Adelaide Oval, and the visitors will be thankful for the change. They were completely outplayed by their hosts on the pace-friendly pitch in Perth in the first ODI, and will hope that the placid and normal nature of the wicket in Adelaide comes to their aid. With their batters failing to deliver the goods in the first match, India are under a lot of pressure, with even the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are proven matchwinners, not too far away from the falling axe.
Australia, for their part, are known for managing their limited resources well, and this was visible in the first match. The Kangaroos have named a handful of seniors in their squad for this series, but the youngsters combined well with the experienced players to cause trouble for India. The visitors, who have hardly got any time to adjust to these pitches after winning a Test series against the West Indies at home, may find their luck changing somewhat in Adelaide, since the pitch here also assists spin.
Australia will look to put an end to the misery that India are going through and win this game. This will give them a 2-0 lead in the series, which will also assure them of victory in the overall scheme of things. For India, their batters have to take responsibility and stand up to be counted in this game, for if they lose this game, they will lose the series. While Sharma and Kohli are under pressure, the likes of KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill also have to deliver and take their team to safety. In the bowling department, the entire responsibility lies on the shoulders of Mohammed Siraj, since he is the only senior speedster.
Predicted Teams
AUS: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Matthew Short, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood.
IND: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
Key Players
Josh Philippe (AUS): Australia were helped by wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe’s 37 off 29 balls when they were chasing the target set by India in the first ODI. Coming in at number four, Philippe impressed with a wide range of strokes and completely took the Indian bowlers by surprise. He will be expected to do much of the same in Adelaide, perhaps even bring out the scoop and reverse scoop shots to manipulate the field placements in his favour.
KL Rahul (IND): Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was one of the saving graces for India in the first ODI with a 31-ball 38, but it was not enough to lend respectability to his team’s total. The Karnataka player will hope to be more expressive with his stroke-making in the second ODI and make use of the fielding restrictions. Against the spinners, Rahul likes to use his feet to get to the pitch of the ball, and this can come in handy on the spin-assisting Adelaide pitch.
Match Prediction
Australia are strong favourites to win this match and take a 2-0 lead in the series. The home team’s well-balanced lineup and adaptability give them the upper hand, even though the pitch could offer some help to India. The visitors are still searching for their ideal combination, and Gill’s inexperienced leadership is likely to be challenged once again by the Kangaroos.
