NAGPUR: The last One-dayer in Bengaluru saw a different Australian team. For a change, the Australian middle order held together. The Indian spinners didn't pick a single wicket in the middle overs. The Indian batting couldn't cross the finishing line either. Australia also fielded much better.
The series, already won by India, was in danger of meandering to a boring close. Australia's performance in Bengaluru, however, has injected some sort of excitement. The question now is whether the visitors will continue their good show in Nagpur on Sunday.
India, particularly, have a lot to play for - they achieved the No. 1 ranking after winning the Kolkata ODI but may lose the top spot if they lose on Sunday. This is the first time India are No. 1 in both Tests and One-dayers. If they win the T20 series against Australia and New Zealand, they will become No. 1 in all three formats.
While India may not be thinking that far ahead, they will certainly be focusing on keeping their bench match-ready. Virat Kohli's men experimented with the team selection in Bengaluru and that trend is likely to continue in Nagpur. While the pacers did a decent job in perfect batting conditions, the spinners struggled. Axar Patel, coming back from an injury, was a disappointment. Axar and Yuzvendra Chahal went for 120 in 18 overs in Bengaluru. The long boundaries in Jamtha, however, will give them some respite and they can afford to flight the ball more.
Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami will look to check their economy rates. While there's no doubt about their ability to strike, their economy rate and death-bowling ability is under the scanner. Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have already set the benchmark, with Australian skipper Steve Smith acknowledging them as the best in the business.
Despite the loss in Bengaluru, India look a better team than the Aussies. In the fourth ODI, they were in the game till the last three overs. The top order is providing solid starts, with openers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane contributing century stands in the last two matches. Skipper Virat Kohli is still to score a hundred in this series but he is in nice touch. The likes of MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav and Manish Pandey have also made significant contributions so far. Hardik Pandya continues to impress with each outing.
Australia, despite their victory, still need to answer a few questions. Much like their Indian counterparts, the team is too dependent on the top order comprising David Warner, Aaron Finch and Steve Smith. However, there are still spots to grab in the middle order. Peter Handscomb and Marcus Stoinis have shown positive signs and the last ODI will give them an opportunity to make a mark. The spin department is another area Australia will be looking at closely. Adam Zampa was made to sit out in the second and third One-dayer but in the last match he showed he has the ability to pick crucial wickets.
Relaid pitch
It will be interesting to see how the relaid Jamtha pitch behaves. The pitch here has raised eyebrows for the last two years, with the International Cricket Council (ICC) giving it a 'poor' rating during the India-South Africa Test in 2015. The pitch also misbehaved during the World T20 last year. VCA has again brought in Pravin Hinganikar as the curator. He has expressed happiness over the preparations.
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