The Indian team have nothing but pride to play for in the third and final ODI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. Although the Cricket World Cup Super League points are also up for grabs for the Indian team which is yet to open its account, the league is more or less irrelevant in the sense that India is the host of the tournament and qualifies automatically.
What this match however offers both the teams that in spite of being a dead rubber, it would be an opportunity to test the skills of other players for the upcoming T20I series.
Although most people might say that the same eleven should be played as the players who have lost the two matches would be raring to go into this one Virat Kohli would have to give their best in this game, playing without pressure. However, this is also the only game where you can test the remaining players of the team before the T20 series commences, otherwise, it might be a similar situation in the T20Is, where you are not sure of your playing eleven.
The Aussies would look to put a final stamp of their authority on the three-match series before moving on to the shortest version of the game. As it is they have Steve Smith, Aaron Finch, and Maxwell peaking, so there wouldn’t be much problem doing that, even in Warner’s absence.
New players would be tested and hence they have an opportunity to test their squad for the T20Is too, especially after David Warner’s injury. The opening slot for Australia would be crucial in the T20I series and although D’Arcy Short would have looked to make case for himself if given a chance, however, he has only been selected for the T20Is.
3rd ODI
Venue: Manuka Oval, Canberra
Broadcast: SonyLIV, Sony Ten Network, DD Sports
Date and Timing: 2nd December, 09:10 IST, 03:40 GMT
Playing at Sydney might have turned the batsmen into lazy lads, who have got used to the ball coming on to the bat. Well, Manuka Oval might not be too different in the first innings in that sense, however, in the second innings, the average total at the ground in 9 matches is just 234, and only twice, have the teams batting second have won it in nine completed games. Thus we can assume that spinners play an important role when the pitch gets worn out in the second innings.
The weather for this day/night affair would be sunny and good for a cricket game with clouds playing hide and seek with the sun intermittently throughout the day. And with the stats backing up the team batting first, there is no doubt that a captain winning the toss would choose to bat first.
With the injury to Warner and vice-captain Pat Cummins being rested, two changes have been necessitated into the Aussie team. Experienced Matthew Wade is likely to get a shot at the opening spot while either Andrew Tye or Daniel Sams would get a chance as Cummins’ replacement. The chance for prodigy Cameron Green to play is minimal, mainly because of the fact that he is a proper all-rounder and Australia already have that in the form of Henriques, so they would like to go for a pure bowler.
Aaron Finch(c), Matthew Wade, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
The Indian team has the last chance to have a look at Shubman Gill before the start of the Test series, hence he would have to be given playtime, most probably in place of Mayank Agarwal. Similarly, just before the T20Is, you would like to have a look at Manish Pandey, T. Natarajan, and Shardul Thakur. Also going by Kohli’s ‘resting Bumrah and Shami alternatively’ policy, one of them would be rested for this game and Navdeep Saini is likely to be rested as well.
Hence Pandey would come at the place of Iyer, Thakur in place of Saini, and Natarajan in place of Jasprit Bumrah.
Shubman Gill, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul (wk), Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, T. Natarajan
Aaron Finch, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Glenn Maxwell, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Josh Hazlewood, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa
Captain: Steve Smith
Vice Captain: Virat Kohli
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