ODI World Cup 2023: SWOT analysis of Australia Cricket Team – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Australian Cricket Team. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the 2023 World Cup to be played in India. With the marquee one-day international (ODI) event less than a week away, it’s essential to assess the preparation of the most successful team of the World Cup. Australia, who have won the title record five times, will go as the one of the favourites in the tournament.

Pat Cummins will be seen as captain for the first time in the tournament, and his duty will be to help Australia taste another World Cup title victory. This year has been tremendous for Cummins as he guided Australia to the World Test Championship (WTC) victory against India with his remarkable captaincy.

The 30-year-old’s endeavours will be to add another feather to his cap by winning the World Cup title in India. Discussing more about the the Men in Yellow’s chances in the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup, let’s look at their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Strengths

A ferocious batting unit

Mitchell Marsh. (Photo Source: Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

In Australia’s 15-member World Cup squad, there are many excellent batters who have the capability to take any bowling attack to the cleaners. Despite Travis Head’s injury, there are talented players like Mitchell Marsh, who can deliver fierce starts to the team as an opener with his extraordinary batting skills.

The upcoming tournament will be David Warner’s last appearance in an ODI World Cup. The veteran is the most experienced player in Australia’s squad, and his responsibility will be to display his mettle with the bat so that his team scripts history again in the ODI event that is played every four years. This year, Warner has amassed 390 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 119.26.

In the five-match ODI series against South Africa, the southpaw notched up 206 runs in five games at a magnificent strike rate of 121.17. Warner continued his good work in the three-match ODI series against India as well, scoring 161 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 127.77. The return of Warner’s form before the 2023 World Cup is a good indication for Australia. Noting his vast experience and superb batting numbers, the Australian team will want him to come heavily on bowlers.

Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell are also a couple of names who have the experience of guiding their team to the 2015 World Cup win with their bats. Both Aussie stalwarts haven’t been among the runs this year, but writing them off may prove costly for other teams.

In Australia’s last title triumph in 2015, Smith ended up as the highest run-getter for the Aussies with 402 runs in seven innings. Smith will be expected to showcase his class in the upcoming World Cup. Australia have all-rounders such as Cameron Geen and Marcus Stoinis as well who can flex their muscles in the last overs of the game and take the team home with their match-finishing skills.  

Aggressive fast-bowling unit

Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell (Photo Source: Twitter)

Australia will land with one of the best pace attacks in the 2023 World Cup. Mitchell Starc will spearhead the fast-bowling unit. Starc’s bowling record is unprecedented in World Cups. Bagging 49 wickets in 18 matches, the 33-year-old is the fifth-leading wicket-taker in the World Cups. Starc is 23 scalps away to become the bowler with the most wickets in the 50-over World Cup. Currently, Glenn McGrath is the owner of this bowling feat.

In March 2023, Australia beat India by a 2-1 margin in the three-match ODI series, and Starc played an instrumental role in this success. He took eight wickets in three matches and became the highest wicket-taker in the competition. Australia’s bowling spearhead will get the support of Josh Hazlewood and his captain, Pat Cummins, to bolster his team’s fast-bowling unit.

Hazlewood has more than 13 years of experience in ODI cricket, and the lanky pacer is known for troubling batters with his astute bowling attitude. Talking about Cummins, who will lead the team, is also an outstanding bowler who can wreak havoc on batters with his blazing speed.

Along with regular pacers, Green and Stoinis can also chip in with the ball. Stoinis has added 44 wickets to his profile in 64 one-day matches, while Green has also scalped 15 wickets in 19 games played so far for his national team. 

Weaknesses

Out-of-form batters

Cameron Green. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Ahead of the 2023 World Cup, Australia’s concern is their out-of-form batters. Vital names such as Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey, and Cameron Green haven’t produced anything solid from their bats in 2023. Smith has accumulated 137 runs this year in five innings, while Maxwell has played two ODIs in 2023, in which he scored only 13 runs.  

The wicketkeeper batter Carey has also scored only 185 runs in eight innings of nine one-days in 2023. Green has also failed to justify his role with the bat, piling up only 89 runs in six innings. In Australia’s batting unit, only Warner, Marsh, and Head are the batters who have done their job efficiently this year. 

Frail spin attack

Adam Zampa (Photo Source: Twitter)

Indian pitches are known for assisting spinners. Adam Zampa is the only spinner in the squad who can be called reliable when it comes to providing breakthroughs and containing the flow of runs. Ashton Agar has been ruled out due to a calf injury. In case Zampa fails to show up in any World Cup matches, Australia’s spin department will lack quality. 

Opportunities

Australia Team. (Photo Source: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Australia’s World Cup record is stunning, and this amazing fact will embolden their confidence to perform well and take the trophy home. Australia have added five trophies to their cabinet thus far and their journey of title wins started in 1987 when the World Cup was played in the sub-continent nations India and Pakistan.

The Aussies lifted the trophy under the leadership of Allan Border in 1987, beating England by seven runs at the iconic Eden Gardens. In 1996, when the World Cup was played in the sub-continent nations again, Australia concluded their journey as the runners-up. These facts will boost Australia’s confidence to showcase their best in the upcoming event.

Threats

Alex Carey. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Australian batters’ struggle on turning tracks is not something new in international cricket. Indian surfaces support spinners, and keeping this fact in mind, quality sides and the favourites of the tournament, such as India and England, have selected their best spinners. 

In 2022, the Aussies toured Sri Lanka and lost the five-match ODI series against the home side by a 2-3 margin. One of the causes of this defeat was the Australian batters’ failure to counter spinners. Sri Lanka bowlers Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Dhananjaya de Silva took 19 wickets combined. 

Wellalage, who was playing his debut ODI series, consistently caused problems for the Aussie batters. The youngster grabbed nine wickets in five contests and ended up as the leading wicket-taker in the competition. Quality teams such as India, England, and South Africa will be tempted to take advantage of this old frailty of the Aussie side in the upcoming World Cup.