After making history in the four-match Test series, India enter the final leg of the 2018-19 tour of Australia. The tour started with the drawn T20Is, then Virat Kohli & Co became the first-ever Asian side to win a Test series Down Under.
Now the two teams will engage in a three-match ODI series, with a special focus on this year's ICC World Cup.
Despite their poor 50-overs record in Australia, India will start as the favourites thanks to the absence of banned David Warner and Steve Smith, just like in the Test series.
By the way, apart from the 1985 World Championship and 2008 CB Series wins, India have lost 35 out of 48 ODIs played against Australia in Australia.
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All You Need To Know About The All-Important First ODI:
Date: January 12 (Saturday)
Time: 7:50 AM IST
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney
TV Guide: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: SonyLiv
Australia have already announced their playing XI: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (wk), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff.
Hardik Pandya, despite the balance he brings to the team, is unlikely to play. The embattled all-rounder should get some time in solitude for self-introspection following that 'Koffee with Karan' episode.
India's likely XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami
