What will India do in the fifth and final ODI of the VB series against Australia? There is nothing to loose for India in this series, but before the three matches T20 series, India have many things to improve and also a small matter of avoiding a whitewash in the Sydney ODI.
India have lost the five-match series 4-0. They scored 1215 runs throughout the series but Indian bowlers and slack fielding could not defend the first three ODIs. India in the first three ODI batting first scored three hundred in first two matches and 295 in the third match in Melbourne. In the fourth ODI Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli laid out a platform for India to win a match chasing down 348. But their respective hundreds and 217 run second wicket partnership has gone in vain as India suffered a big collapse in the match. India lost their nine wickets for 46 matches.
Captain MS Dhoni, who is known as a finisher, failed to complete the process as he went for zero. India yet to find a path of winning.
Dhoni looked pale in the match. When bowlers were battered by Australian batsmen it was often seen that Virat Kohli was interacting with them. Captain Dhoni was missing from the match. With the preparation for World, T20 will start with the three-match series from 26 January India should win the fifth ODI. But how is it possible?
In the last ODI, it was seen that Australian bowlers were battered by Indian bowlers till 37 overs. But Shikhar Dhawan’s wicket changed the course of the India. A long tail has been exposed. But, India has three recognized batsmen who could have won the match if they held their nerve and march close to victory with single. But, Jadeja because of lack of communication conceded a strike to Umesh Yadav and the bowler a lofted shot, while Gurkeerat Singh Mann and Rishi Dhawan played unnecessary shots that converted into their wickets. They needed to play with single. But, they did not gave importance to singles.
In the fourth ODI India should bring back Manish Pandey In place of Ajinkya Rahane, who is injured while Gurkeerat Singh Mann should be dropped and replaced with Axar Patel.
Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (C) (wk), Manish Pandey, Rishi Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav