India and Australia will kick off their preparations for the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, set to be hosted in India, with an important three-match series which is succeeding the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Team India secured a 2-1 victory in that four-match Test series and will hope to get a similar result in the ODI series as well.
With Rohit Sharma absent for the first game, Hardik Pandya will take charge of his first ODI as skipper. The batting all-rounder confirmed that Ishan Kishan will open the batting alongside Shubman Gill. Meanwhile, Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl first.
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In other team news, Pandya has gone with a very bowling-friendly team, with Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami leading the pace attack. A surprise omission was Axar Patel as another bowling all-rounder in Shardul Thakur is drafted into the team. Ravindra Jadeja is the third all-rounder in the side apart from Pandya and Thakur, and he will be partnered with Kuldeep Yadav in the spin department.
Sharing his thoughts at the toss, Pandya said, "It is a good track and dew factor will be there. We feel we will do well in the second innings. I got some time off, breaks are like gold dust for me so it gave me a chance to rest and improve. Playing for India every game and every format is important. With this being a WC year, the ODI format is important."
Meanwhile, Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith has decided to field Josh Inglis in place of Alex Carey, who is sick and has returned home.
"Happy batting first because I didn't know what to do. We got to try our best to adjust to these conditions, and get our combinations right with the WC in mind. I think we played well in the back end (on BGT series), and plenty of fresh faces to choose from," he said during the toss.
Sharing further team news, Steve said, "David Warner is not yet fully fit, so Mitch Marsh will open the batting. The rest of the changes will come on the big television here soon enough."
India's playing XI
Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan(w), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami
Australia Playing XI
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(w), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
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