The inaugural One Day International (ODI) match of the Australia tour of India in 2023 is slated to take place on Friday, September 22nd, 2023, at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.

India and Australia are set to clash in a three-match ODI series just ahead of the impending World Cup. India, fresh off their triumph in the Asia Cup, enters this series with a boost of confidence, aiming to experiment with various player combinations to assemble the optimal squad for the World Cup. Meanwhile, Australia’s recent five-match ODI series against South Africa saw them claim victories in the initial two contests but subsequently suffer three consecutive defeats. This series presents a valuable opportunity for Australia to acclimate to the conditions before the commencement of the World Cup.

India clinched their record-breaking 8th Asia Cup title by defeating Pakistan and Sri Lanka but suffered a setback in their match against Bangladesh. To prepare for upcoming challenges, India rested several key players during the Asia Cup and has introduced some young talent for the upcoming series. KL Rahul has been entrusted with the captaincy for this series, riding on his excellent form, including a century against Pakistan during the Asia Cup. Rahul will also take charge of the batting order alongside the in-form Shubhman Gill, who showcased a solid performance in the same tournament.

Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer will bolster India’s top batting order alongside KL Rahul and Shubhman Gill. Suryakumar Yadav is set to handle the middle-order responsibilities. However, Hardik Pandya has been granted a well-deserved rest, while Ravichandran Ashwin makes a comeback after being absent from the Indian squad for 19 months. Washington Sundar, who was absent during the series against Ireland and the Asia Cup, has received a call-up and will replace Axar Patel in this series.

India’s seam bowling unit will be at full strength, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the charge alongside Mohammad Siraj, Mohammad Shami, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna. It’s anticipated that the team management will provide opportunities to bowlers who did not feature in the Asia Cup, allowing them to gain valuable experience.

Australia is determined to bounce back after a disappointing performance against South Africa and aims to secure a series win to build momentum leading up to the World Cup. Many of Australia’s players were plagued by injuries, but now they are on the path to recovery, and the team is poised to field its full-strength lineup.

Expect to see David Warner return to the final playing eleven, partnering with Mitchell Marsh as the opening batsmen for Australia, taking the place of the injured Travis Head, who hurt his hand during the South Africa series.

Steve Smith has made his comeback and will occupy the crucial number three batting position, with Marnus Labuschagne following him. Australia welcomes back its top all-rounders for this series, including Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, and Cameron Green, all of whom are likely to be integral parts of the playing eleven for this match.

Australia’s key bowlers have also recuperated and are ready to rejoin the team. Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, the pace spearheads, are fit and back in action, alongside Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Ellis. This formidable bowling unit is poised to lead Australia’s attack in the upcoming series.

India has participated in a total of 1038 One Day International (ODI) matches to date. Among these, they secured victory in 565 matches, while their opponents triumphed in 440 matches. Additionally, 44 matches concluded with no definitive result, and 9 matches ended in a tie.

Australia’s ODI International record stands at 984 matches played. Among these, they have emerged victorious in 596 matches. Unfortunately, they have faced defeat in 345 matches. Additionally, there were 34 matches that ended inconclusively, and 9 matches concluded with a tie.

In the head-to-head ODI encounters between India and Australia, India has participated in 146 matches. Among these, they have emerged victorious in 54 matches, while Australia has secured 82 wins. Additionally, ten matches between India and Australia concluded with no definitive result.

As per the match prediction, India holds the favorite tag to emerge victorious in this encounter. Several factors contribute to India’s status as the favored team:

• India’s Strong Asia Cup Performance: India’s impressive performance in the Asia Cup has bolstered their confidence.
• Favorable Mohali Stadium Record: India has secured victory in five out of seven matches played at the Mohali Stadium, making it a favorable venue for them.
• Even Recent Head-to-Head Record: Both teams have a balanced recent record, with each winning two out of the last four matches they’ve contested.
• Australia’s All-Round Strength: Australia boasts a robust all-round squad, which is considered stronger than India in this aspect.
• In-Form Bowling Unit: The Australian bowling unit has been in good form, adding to their competitive edge in the match.

These factors combine to make India the favorite in this encounter.

India possesses a formidable batting order and a well-rounded bowling unit in comparison to Australia. Moreover, playing in their home conditions further strengthens India’s prospects, elevating their chances of winning today’s match. Here’s the breakdown of the winning probabilities for both teams in today’s encounter:

• India: 54% chance of winning
• Australia: 46% chance of winning

With these factors in India’s favor, they are positioned as the frontrunners for this match.

The coin toss is poised to carry significant weight in determining the outcome of this match. As per the toss prediction, the team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first.

The inaugural One Day International (ODI) clash between India and Australia is scheduled to take place at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. The pitch at this venue is notably favorable for batting, characterized by short boundaries that encourage spin bowlers to make an impact. Furthermore, the pitch is expected to remain conducive to batting throughout the match. A competitive total to defend on this pitch could be around 280 runs.

The weather forecast for Mohali on match day is not particularly promising for a cricket match. There is a possibility of rain, raising the likelihood of potential interruptions during the game.

India: KL Rahul (C & WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah.

Australia: Pat Cummins (C), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (WK), Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (WK), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell.

• Date: Friday, 22nd September 2023
• Time: 08:00 AM GMT / 01:30 PM LOCAL / 01:30 PM IST

• Stadium: Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium
• Location: Mohali, India
• Opened: 1993
• Capacity: 30000
• Ends: Pavilion End, City End
• Time Zone: UTC +05:30
• Home to: Punjab, Punjab Kings
• Floodlights: Yes
• Curator: Daljit Singh

• Total matches: 26
• Matches won batting first: 15
• Matches won bowling first: 11
• Average 1st Inns scores: 265
• Average 2nd Inns scores: 228
• Highest total recorded: 392/4 (50 Ov) by IND vs. SL
• Lowest total recorded: 89/10 (25 Ov) by PAK vs RSA
• Highest score chased: 359/6 (47.5 Ov) by AUS vs IND
• The lowest score defended: 207/8 (50 Ov) by AUS vs. WI

KL Rahul (C & WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.