2019 World Cup, Match 14: Players to watch out for in India-Australia clash at The Oval
India will look to continue their winning run in the 2019 World Cup on Sunday as they get down to play their second game of the tournament at The Oval after steamrolling South Africa in the opening fixture. However, their opponents this time in Australia are a much stronger unit and have won both their matches so far.
Two-time World Cup winner India will have to be at their best to compete against four-time Cup holders and defending champions Australia. In the recent One-Day International (ODI) series, India lost three straight matches to Australia despite having an upper hand in the first two games. The series concluded with Australia defeating India 3-2.
Both the teams have the potential to dominate each other, but the side that will possess better skills on the match day will eventually earn the points.
Ahead of the high-octane clash, here are some key players to look out for:
INDIA
The 25-year-old speed prodigy is considered to be a key player for India. Bumrah's unconventional high-arm action and ability to bowl with variations make him a rare bowler among the cricketing fraternity. Ranked at number one, the Indian paceman returned with figures of 2-35 against South Africa in first World Cup match against South Africa. Apart from his wicket-taking skills, he is very economical in the death overs.
Whenever India play, this name has to crop up. Kohli's record against Australia is impressive and on pressure situations, nobody thrives more than the Indian captain. With Mitchell Starc breathing fire, Kohli will be the most vital cog in India's wheel if they have to post any fighting total or chase one against the mighty Aussies.
The wicket-keeper batsman Dhoni led India to its second World Cup title in 2011. The former captain has been a guiding force of the team and helped Virat Kohli during the crucial overs. In a World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh, Dhoni smashed 113 runs off just 78 balls, which saw four boundaries and seven sixes. This knock silenced the critics who had been criticising Dhoni's performance lately. Amid the gloves controversy against South Africa, Dhoni scored much needed 34 runs to beat South Africa.
The spin lead of India is in great form as in the first World Cup match, he took four crucial wickets and provided the base for his team's victory. The leg-spinner will now test Australia's temperament and look to take early wickets for India.
AUSTRALIA
Credit for Australia's comeback must go to their skipper Finch who rallied his troops to their recent victories in the one-day cricket. Finch amassed 451 runs in five matches and guided his side throughout to white-wash Pakistan in recently concluded bilateral series. In their first match against Afghanistan, Finch scored 66 runs.
The former Australia captain has been a rock in this year's World Cup so far. Returning from his one-year ban, Smith has made quite an impact straight away. On Sunday, once again, he will be the linchpin of the Australian batting. Smith is one of the few Aussie batsmen who can play pace and spin with equal panache and Australia will count him to negate the threat of Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who are such an important part of India's middle overs
Mitchell Starc
The 29-year old left-arm pacer with his last performance impressed cricket enthusiasts and critics alike. Starc returned with figures of 5-46 against West Indies as he played a major role in turning the tables in favour of Australia. In two World Cup matches, Starc has six wickets under his belt and will look to add more against India.
This is a surprise pick but perhaps the most important one among all the four Australians. Maxwell is another player, who can play pace and spin well and he is no stranger to the Indian attack. He stood out against India prior to the World Cup, which Australia won 3-2 and once again, his ability to finish games off and score big will make him an important player in the Aussie line up. More importantly, he can chip in with important overs, thus, allowing Finch to play the extra batter of pacer in the line-up.
(With inputs from ANI)
