India face a must-win match against Australia in the second ODI at Adelaide Oval on Thursday. The visitors trail 0-1 in the three-match series and need to win to stay alive.
The stadium is expected to be full and tickets are sold out well in advance. The scene is reminiscent of the 2015 World Cup, when thousands of Indian fans turned the Adelaide Oval into a sea of blue.
This match also has emotional weight for Virat Kohli. The former India captain returns to one of his most beloved venues, where he produced some of his best ODI innings. Many believe this could be his last ODI appearance at the iconic ground.
The weather raised concerns about thunderstorms earlier this week, but conditions have cleared. The pitch is expected to be good for batting, creating an exciting battle between two strong teams.
The steady changes in Australia
Australia has made a number of tactical adjustments. Alex Carey returns behind the stumps, while Marnus Labuschagne is likely to replace young all-rounder Cooper Connolly. Adam Zampa replaces Matt Kuhnemann to strengthen the spin department.
Australia Probably XI: Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (C), Matt Short, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (WK), Mitch Owen, Marnus Labuschagne/Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa and Josh Hazlewood.
India Search for Spark
India is not expected to make many changes. Yashasvi Jaiswal’s leg spin has impressed in the nets but he is unlikely to feature. The focus will once again be on the top order, with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Kohli expected to anchor the innings.
India Probably XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh.
A senior team official summed up the feeling around Adelaide: “It’s been over a decade, but one of the most prominent murals at Adelaide Airport still shows a packed Oval full of Indian fans. It’s a reminder of the special bond that Indian cricket shares with this venue, and with Kohli in particular.”
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