19 November,2023 11:04 AM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondent
Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Glenn Maxwell (Pic: AFP)
IND vs AUS ICC World Cup 2023 final: A lot of nostalgia will be in the air when India takes to the field for their ICC World Cup 2023 final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After registering a heavy loss to Aussies 20 years back in a title clash in South Africa, Men in Blue will be aiming to avenge that painful memory and write another glorious chapter of its cricket history with their third 50-over World Cup title win, that too at home.
So far in the tournament, India has done the majority of things right. Their top order has fired runs with an attacking intent that puts the opponent on the back in the starting itself. The middle-order offers a mix of aggression and stability that not a lot of teams have brought in this tournament. The pace attack has been fiery throughout the tournament while spinners have been bamboozling and hard to read.
Except for a few moments where India's top order gave away or certain bowlers looked off-colour, Team India maintained its dominance and the result is, 10 wins in 10 games. Below are a few players from each side whose contribution could prove decisive at Motera.
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The Indian skipper has emerged as a synonym for positivity and aggression in this tournament. With his clean sixes and effortless boundaries in the powerplay, he destroys the morale of bowlers in the first 10 overs itself. His quick starts always help the batters coming after him take their time, settle on the crease and dominate. In 10 matches, Rohit has scored 550 runs at an average of 55.00, with one century and three fifties. He has struck his runs at a strike rate of over 124, which is one of the best in the tournament.
Rohit also has a fantastic ODI record against Australia. In 44 ODIs against Aussies, he has scored 2,332 runs at an average of 58.30, with eight centuries and nine fifties. His best score is 209.
The left-handed opener is the biggest threat to the Indian bowling line-up. Unlike an older, more responsible partner David Warner, this youngster carries no baggage of the past. His aggressive, free-flowing cricket is the exact replica of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma.
Head started off the tournament with a 67-ball century against New Zealand. After some bad outings, he fired an aggressive 62 off 48 balls against South Africa that largely reduced the efforts of valiant Proteas to waste. He has 192 runs in five matches so far with a strike rate of over 139. No matter how inconsistent he is, Head cannot be ruled out from firing on big stages as he has done in the past.
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The all-rounder had a terrible start to the ODI World Cup with a string of low scores. But turned it around by smashing a 40-ball century against Netherlands, the fastest-ever in tournament history. Then later against Afghanistan, when the Asian side had five-time champions struggling at 91/7 during a run-chase of 292, Maxwell exposed wide open the gulf of championship titles, inexperience and champion mentality that separated both the teams with an instant classic knock. Battling cramps and heat, he single-handedly won Australia the game with 201' in 128 balls.
Maxwell has struggled against Indian spinners this year. But overall, he is considered as one of the best players of spin. With his spin-playing expertise and heavy confidence by his side, Maxwell will be Australia's biggest trump card against Indian spinners in middle overs. He can deliver some valuable overs of spin himself against a side which has at times, struggled on spin-friendly surfaces.
Virat is the tournament's leading run-scorer so far. In 10 matches, he has scored 711 runs at an average of over 101, with three centuries and five fifties. He now has the most runs in a single World Cup edition and is also the only player to have smashed 50 ODI centuries. With these two records and an undefeated streak under his belt, Virat's morale will surely be high.
Virat often saves his best for games against Australia and for big clashes. In 48 clashes against Aussies, he has scored 2,313 runs at an average of 53.79, with eight centuries and 13 fifties in 46 innings. It would not be surprising if Virat once again takes a giant jump in front of over 1 lakh fans at the stadium after scoring a match-winning century or breaks another record against the mighty Aussies.
Bumrah has been superb in the tournament so far, having taken 18 wickets in 10 wickets at an average of 18.33 and a strike rate of over 27, with best figures of 4/39. Though Bumrah is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the tournament and Shami looks better statistically, the pressure exerted by Bumrah restricts the opponent's run flow and allows other bowlers to thrive as well.
Men in Blue have ticked all the boxes in the tournament. With a hard-hitting top-order, middle-order offering a mix of aggression and stability, a pace attack that seems to be doing some insane tricks on almost every ball and spin bowlers who choke world-class batters with their flight and turn, India has it all.
Aussies started off the tournament in a shaky manner, with heavy losses to India and South Africa, two of its biggest rivals. But since then, the Aussies have bounced back to win eight games successively and are a chapter away from completing yet another tale of resilience, aggression and domination. These traits have defined the 'Kangaroos' which have soared high in the skies for the majority of their cricket history.
The veteran opener is most likely playing his last ODI World Cup at the age of 37 and unleashing the vintage, heavy-hitting Warner in the finals will be his aim as it could single-handedly guide Australia to their sixth title.
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Age is no bar for the opener as he has smashed 528 runs in 10 matches at an average of over 52, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score is 163 against Pakistan. A match-winning ton in his last World Cup match will be the best way to go out for perhaps the best all-format batter produced by Australia.
After missing out on the first half of the tournament, Shami set the World Cup on fire with his lethal spells. Having played just six matches, he has taken 23 wickets at an average of 9.13 and a strike rate of 10.91. His best bowling figures of 7/57, also the best by an Indian in World Cups, came against New Zealand in semis. He is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far.
Shami's seam position, accuracy, yorkers and pace have been a nightmare for opponents this tournament. He has been fantastic against left-handers, having a bowling average of just 4 against them and conceding just 32 runs in 52 balls against them. Eight of his 23 wickets have been from left-handed batters. The pacer could be key in neutralising the threat of aggressive openers David Warner and Travis Head.
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The 'World Cup Starc' did not really turn up this year. With his wicket-taking streak in the World Cup broken and tally reading 13 wickets in nine matches, Indians batters would be looking to take advantage of the mental struggles that Starc might have faced after an underwhelming tournament.
But flashes of Starc's big match powers were witnessed in the semis against South Africa, where a three-wicket haul set South Africans completely backwards in the match. Proteas were left incapable of scoring against him in the powerplay. It would not be surprising that Starc completely peaks against India and becomes a menacing presence on the crease
The Australian skipper leads from the front. He is known as someone who peaks at the right time. Cummins has taken 13 wickets in 10 World Cup matches so far and delivered some calm, much-needed cameos with the bat during tense run-chases. If India gets him while bowling, Cummins could get them with his bat or vice-versa. With Cummins also being a great leader as well, there is no way to keep him out of action.
(With agency inputs)
