It is a key moment for many players in the Indian cricket team who are on the tour of Australia. On Friday India’s team will start with the five-match series against Australia with the first match to be played in Perth. The series holds huge relevance for India if they have to make it to the WTC finals next year.
India are coming to Australia on the back of their series loss at home to New Zealand. It was an embarrassing loss as it was the first time ever any visiting side had given India such a huge loss whitewash series loss. Questions were rightly asked about the mental approach as well as the form of a few players.
With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill set to miss the first game, there is a lot of onus on some of the junior members of the team. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana are likely to make their debuts. This could also be the last time that Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, R. Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja play in Australia.
Also Read: Predicting Australia’s Playing XI for their first Test against India
Here are the 3 things India must do well to avoid the horrors of loss to New Zealand
3- Fast bowlers have to fire against an aggressive Australian side
Jasprit Bumrah will be leading the bowling unit for India during the tour of Australia. The 30-year-old had a series to forget at home against New Zealand and was rested for the final game in Mumbai. Bumrah has a good record in Australia and will want to use that to his advantage. The right-arm pacer will be looking to battle it out against the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne who could play a key role with the bat. Even the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep will have to bowl well and keep the pressure on the batters to support Bumrah.
2- Field better and take the half-chances
One of the things that was seen during the series against the Kiwis was that India didn’t field well at all. Some of the easiest chances were put down and there was a bit of lethargy seen. Indian teams in the last decade have been known for their amazing fielding and catching. Australia will use any chance that is spilled or isn’t taken to their advantage to make the Indian team pay.
Check Also: Predicting India’s Playing XI for their first Test against Australia
1- Senior members to score runs consistently
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in the last stages of their career and will be playing their final tour in Australia. Both of India’s star batters had a series to forget against the Kiwis. Even someone like KL Rahul who is fighting for a spot in the team needs to step up to the plate and do well. If the three seasoned batters can do well the Indian team can more than give a fight to Australia and can even fancy winning the series. The likes of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal in particular have a huge task on their hands with Gill in particular needing to justify his spot in the number 3 slot instead of Cheteshwar Pujara.
Disclaimer: This exclusive news is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and intuition. While reviewing this information, consider the points discussed and form your own conclusions.