India Vs Australia Preview 3rd ODI: Men In Blue Seek To Avoid Whitewash In Ro-Ko's Swansong Down Under

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma prepare for what could be their final ODI appearance on Australian soil on Saturday, October 25, during the third match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Along with the added emotional weight for many fans, the Indian team, led by coach Gautam Gambhir, will also aim to avoid a series whitewash against Australia.

The third ODI against Australia could mark Virat and Rohit's last appearance on Australian soil. The latter secured some breathing space with a spirited 73 runs off 97 balls in the last match, though it came in a lost cause.

In contrast, Kohli registered two consecutive ducks, a first in his international career, prompting his die-hard fans to contemplate whether this is the beginning of the end.

Rohit first played in Australia during the 2007-08 Commonwealth Bank Series. Kohli debuted with the senior team in the 2011-12 season, leaving an immediate impression with a Test century in Adelaide. As no ODI series is scheduled in Australia for the next two years, the duo's return in India blues appears improbable.

Speculation surrounds Kohli's individual cricketing future following the Australia series. The final ODI at the SCG transcends a mere dead rubber status.

Fans are eagerly awaiting Kohli's punchy cover drives, on-drives, and inside-out lofted shots over extra cover from the modern-day legend. Skipper Shubman Gill and Kohli are both due for a big knock, and Gautam Gambhir expects them to fire in the final fixture.

India's Bowling Dilemmas

Gambhir will desperately seek to prevent a 0-3 whitewash, a result that would certainly not look great despite the ODI World Cup being two years away. The Men in Blue have achieved only one victory in their last five ODIs against Australia at the SCG.

Australia clinically outwitted India in the first two matches. The Indian team has prioritised batting depth, which compromises bowling resources.

India have overlooked Kuldeep Yadav, a genuine match-winner who could have been more than a handful at Adelaide Oval, where Australian batters struggled to read Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.

The current Indian team champions multi-skilled cricketers, but many players are bordering on being bits-and-pieces players. Nitish Kumar Reddy remains underutilised at number eight. His deliveries, typically in the mid-120s, lack venom to trouble international batters consistently.

Harshit Rana's pace drops markedly in his second and third spells, indicating he is not yet ready for international cricket. Building the capability to deliver second and third spells with the same intensity requires years of toil in red-ball cricket, bowling in various match situations and conditions.

According to the team, Prasidh Krishna's inclusion in the playing eleven is imperative for the current situation.

Axar Patel has emerged as the single positive takeaway from the first two games. He has performed above his weight, demonstrating significant improvement as a batter and consistently bowling steady overs. If Axar maintains this performance level, India will not feel pressured to recall Ravindra Jadeja for 50-over cricket.

Australia's Future Prospects

Australia have earnestly commenced their two-year journey towards the next ICC ODI World Cup. Matthew Short, Mitchell Owen, and Cooper Connolly have exhibited notable technique and considerable cricketing smartness in planning and execution during pressure cooker scenarios.

Matt Kuhnemann, who tormented India in the rain-affected opening game, might partner Adam Zampa in the playing eleven. The host nation will hope that opener Travis Head will produce one of his signature innings, which did not materialise in the initial two matches.

India Vs Australia ODI Squads

India: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Jos Inglis (wk), Cooper Connolly, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Jack Edwards, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Matt Kuhnemann.

(With PTI Inputs)