The Ashes, it isn’t. The intensely grudge face-off between two passionate, neighbouring nations it isn’t, either. But when India takes on Australia on a cricket field, strange things could happen. A Greg Matthews could bowl a ball that would produce a tied Test, only the second in history.
A Washington Sundar, on debut, could hook Pat Cummins for a six that would change the course of the most audacious chase you could imagine. A Sachin Tendulkar could conjure up two back-to-back masterly hundreds that would storm the deserts.
Australia and India often bring the best out of each other. The match between them on October 8 at Chennai is among the most eagerly awaited ones at the World Cup. But before that, there is a teaser.
The three-match ODI series between these two formidable rivals begins here on Friday. It kicks off at the PCA Stadium and then will travel to Indore and Rajkot.
Dress rehearsal
Neither side could have hoped for a better dress rehearsal for the tournament that still matters a great deal.
Both India and Australia would be keen to use these matches to finalise their best eleven or to explore some new ideas before the big moment arrives. It is also an opportunity for some men on either side — those they aren’t named in the World Cup squads — to make a statement or two.
India may want to take a close look at its best possible middle-order — the spotlight could be on Shreyas Iyer — but the team management should be pleased with the current form. Its triumph at the Asia Cup in Colombo was as authoritative as a team could hope for.
It was a fine team effort — from Shubman Gill at the top of the order to the bowling, be it the seam of Mohammed Siraj or the spin of Kuldeep Yadav. It would be interesting to see how R. Ashwin fares on his return to ODI cricket, since January last year. Some Australians too should be determined to show what they could. Like Marnus Labuschagne. He was brilliant in the recent ODI series in South Africa, after coming on as a concussion substitute.
The return of captain Pat Cummins, as well as Steve Smith, is good news for Austr
The teams
India:
K.L. Rahul (Capt.), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar.
Australia:
Pat Cummins (Capt.), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott, Tanveer Sangha and Spencer Johnson.
