India vs Australia World Cup 2023: India will step onto the World Cup stage against Australia in Chennai today, i.e., on October 8, marking the 150th clash between these cricket titans in One-Day Internationals. Two-time World Cup champions, India, yearn for glory on their home soil, reminiscent of their 2011 triumph under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Yet, in this limited-overs rivalry, tracing its origins back to 1980, it’s the mighty five-time World Cup victors, Australia, who’ve often had an upper hand.
The records show Australia’s dominance, with 83 victories to India’s 56, while 10 matches concluded without a result. India enters the World Cup as the top-ranked ODI team, following their emphatic victory over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final and a resolute 2-1 conquest of Australia in a thrilling home series.
Despite succumbing to India in the recent ODI series, five-time World Cup laureates Australia retain their status as formidable contenders. They made a resounding comeback after losing the opening two matches in India last month, demonstrating their indomitable spirit. The stage is set for a cricketing spectacle of epic proportions.
When and where to watch?
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Australia will be played in Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday (October 8). The match will kickstart at 2 pm IST. The match will be available to stream on Disney+Hotstar and will also telecast on Star Sports.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav
Australia: Pat Cummins (Captain), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc
Pitch and Weather Report
A glance at Chennai’s temperature might suggest that 32°C isn’t too severe for this scorching October. However, when India faces Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday, it’s important to brace for excessive heat and humidity.
The venue’s recent history includes the last three ODIs, featuring two India-Australia clashes (2023, 2017) and one between India and West Indies. Chennai’s pitch, renowned for favoring spin, witnessed Adam Zampa’s stellar performance in the March ODI. Anticipate spinners to play a pivotal role once more.