Cricket News: Australia vs http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 first ODI Preview
After enduring a clean sweep in the test series, Australia is desperate to register a series win in the ODI series against India that begins with the opening match at Kochi tomorrow.
It is not going to be an easy start for the tourists as they have rain to contend with. The build up to the match has been spoiled by weather conditions at what has been a high scoring venue.
The Australians will also be forced to ring in changes as two important members of the regular team, Captain Ricky Ponting and all-rounder Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 sit the series out.
Immediately after the series is over the Aussies would have to start concentrating on the Ashes series that is set to take place in their own backyard with the first match from the 25th of next month at the Gabba in Brisbane.
For the time being the stand-in Captain Michael Clarke is trying to meet the challenge of thwarting the Indian team led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028.
MS Dhoni is over the moon after his team’s historic triumph in the test series that made him the first captain in 28 years to register a whitewash over the Aussies.
However the ODI series is not going to be a walk in the park for the men in blue as they do not have http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429 and Sachin Tendulkar in their team for the series.
The two master blasters are resting from the three match encounter.
For the Australians the series is also vital as it provides them with an ideal opportunity of gauging their strengths and weaknesses ahead of next year’s World Cup that would be played in the Indian sub-continent.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 has won the last three fifty over World Cup trophies yet defending the title will be an enormous challenge as the team is bereft of the players who ruled the world in the last decade or so.
Michael Clarke is leading a highly talented yet inexperienced line-up which might find the Indian crowd too hot to handle.
If they can control their nerves they can offer a serious challenge to Dhoni’s team.
The probable line-up for the match includes the following players:
1. David Warner, 2. Tim Paine (wk), 3. Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 (capt), 4. Shaun Marsh/Callum Ferguson, 5. Michael Hussey, 6. Cameron White, 7. Steve Smith, 8. James Hopes, 9. Nathan Hauritz, 10. Clint McKay, 11. Doug Bollinger/Mitchell Starc.
There is a race for fitness for Doug Bollinger who sat out the second test match that the Aussies lost heavily in Bangalore.
If he fails to recover fully from his fitness troubles the left armer would be replaced by Mitchell Starc.
On the other hand the Indians would be relying on their formidable batting line-up to tackle the threat posed by the Aussie attack.
The men in blue would undoubtedly be affected by the absence of Sehwag and Tendulkar yet the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Murali-Vijay-c78035, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh will be hoping to cash in and score big runs to dampen the Aussie spirits.
The probable Indian line up for the match consists of the following players.
1. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashish-Nehra-c46293, 11. Munaf Patel.
If the weather permits than the fans in Kochi are set for an enthralling contest.
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