Australia vs India 2020-21: 3rd ODI – Australia’s Predicted XI
Dec 1, 2020 at 3:44 PM
Australia has already clinched the ODI series in their name with back to back victories in the first and second ODI but they are yet to play the third ODI against India. The dead rubber will be played on Wednesday (December 2) in Canberra.
Ahead of the last match, Australia has got a huge set back as their batting mainstay David Warner has been ruled out of the series after he picked up a groin injury during the second ODI. Also, Australia’s star-allrounder Marcus Stoinis, who suffered a side strain during the opening match, will only be available for batting. Although Australia has already won the series, the ouster of a significant contributor might be a hurdle for them to whitewash India.
Here, let’s take a look at how their playing XI will shape in absence of David Warner.
Australia’s Predicted XI:
Aaron Finch (C):
Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch, who had a poor form in IPL, has bamboozled Indian bowlers. He went on to score 114 runs and 60 runs in the first and second ODI to set up 100 plus partnerships with David Warner. His great form might dent India again.
Steven Smith:
As David Warner has been ruled out, Steven Smith is likely to open the innings with Finch. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have unable to find an answer to how to get him out. He has gone on to score back-to-back centuries to guide Australia’s total to 300 plus. If India could not get his wicket early, the visitors are likely to get ready to get another mammoth total.
Marnus Labuschagne:
Marnus Labuschagne scored a half-century in the last match and stitched up 100 runs partnership with Smith to dismantle India’s attack. The right-hand batsman will look to play another such knock in the last ODI.
Glenn Maxwell:
Glenn Maxwell, who was also a big flop in the IPL 2020, played a rocket-fueling knock of 63 runs off 29 balls. He accelerated the innings as soon he came in the field and guided Australia to set a mammoth total.
Marcus Stoinis:
Although Marcus Stoinis is not available to bowl, he would be only used as a pure batsman. In absence of Warner, he is likely to swoop in the playing XI.
Alex Carey (wk):
Although Matthew Wade has returned to Australia’s squad, the team has gone with Alex Carey for the wicketkeeper-batsman position, who has been with the team in the past matches. He has good gloves while also gave a good contribution with the bat.
Moses Henriques:
Moises Henriques didn’t get the chance to bat but he contributed excellently with the ball and his fielding. He took a stunning catch of Virat Kohli to take the team near to win while picked the wicket of Shreyas Iyers in his seven overs.
Adam Zampa:
The leg-spinner Adam Zampa picked up the only wicket of KL Rahul in his ten overs during the last match but choked the middle-order of India to score runs freely. He is surely a great asset to the team.
Sean Abbott:
The fast bowling allrounder Sean Abbott is likely to replace Pat Cummins, who has been rested. He will play his first ODI since 2014 thanks to his red-hot form in the Sheffield Shield – 14 wickets in three matches at 17.92, and 261 runs at 130.50 including a maiden first-class hundred.
Mitchell Starc:
Mitchell Starc again proved to be expensive in the second ODI. In his first over, he was hit for back to back fours by Mayank Agarwal. Eventually, he gave away 82 runs in nine overs while went wicketless.
Josh Hazlewood:
In his nine overs, Josh Hazlewood picked the crucial wickets of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli and conceded 59 runs. As Mitchell Starc is struggling, he has stepped in to give breakthroughs to the team.