- Joined
- Nov 25, 2023
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When the storm passes, only the strongest trees remain - that quote from Seneca might just fit perfectly for this India vs Australia showdown. After back-to-back wins, the Aussies are cruising 2-0 in this ODI series, while India are hanging by the thread of pride. Now, as we land in Sydney for the final ODI, the big question looms - will Australia sweep, or will India finally roar back? What a tour this has turned out to be! It began with hope, hype, and a hint of nostalgia - Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to international cricket after a seven-month hiatus. The spotlight was hot, the anticipation hotter. But two matches in, and the story’s taken a turn - Australia flying high, India scratching their heads. Perth’s rain-soaked mess left India bruised at 136/9, and Adelaide… well, heartbreak again. Despite Rohit’s elegant 73 and Iyer’s fluent fifty, Adam Zampa spun a web too tricky to escape. So, what’s gone wrong for India? Or maybe the better question - what hasn’t? In Perth, the top order collapsed faster than a deck of cards in a cyclone. Kohli’s golden duck - ouch! Then Adelaide brought promise, where Rohit timed like old times, Iyer and Axar steadied the ship, and Harshit Rana swung late. Yet, even 264 wasn’t enough as the bowlers struggled to land that killer blow. Now, at 0-2 down, pride is all that’s left to play for. But sometimes, pride is the most dangerous motivator, isn’t it? Oh, the phenomenon - Rohit and Kohli - the two icons everyone came to watch! Rohit looked back in rhythm, punching through covers with that lazy elegance only he can pull off. Kohli, though, couldn’t find his groove - out for ducks in both games, yet when he walked off at Adelaide, he raised his gloves to the crowd. Was that a silent goodbye to his beloved Adelaide - the ground where he’s crafted so many memories across three formats? Both men, now ODI specialists, stand at a crossroad. Will they be India’s guiding light to the 2027 ODI World Cup? Or is this the slow sunset of an era? Australia, meanwhile, have been everything India weren’t - ruthless, balanced, and clinical. Mitchell Marsh’s leadership has been calm yet lethal. Matthew Short’s 74 and young Connolly’s 61 in Adelaide sealed the deal with authority, while Zampa’s four-fer reminded everyone why he’s world-class. Even their newcomers, Bartlett and Owen, have made an instant impact. The Aussie machine is running smoothly, and the SCG might just be their red carpet to a 3-0 clean sweep. So, what can India cling to? Positives, yes, there are a few! Rohit is back among runs, Iyer looked solid, and Axar Patel’s late cameos are gold. But the middle order still feels like an untested experiment, and the death bowling - oh boy - still feels like an open wound. Can Siraj and Arshdeep finally deliver with the new ball?
Can Washington Sundar’s spin choke the Aussie power hitters? The blueprint is simple - take early wickets, break the partnerships, and don’t let Zampa bowl to the lower order. Easy to say, hard to do! The Aussies, though, won’t ease up! Marsh, Short, and Head at the top can destroy rhythm in ten balls flat. And Connolly - what a find! The young left-hander’s fearless approach has added new muscle to their middle order. Zampa and Starc are their finishing weapons - one spins, one swings, and together, they make chasing look like climbing Everest barefoot. Their biggest advantage? Depth! Even Bartlett and Hazlewood chipped in with key wickets. Now, what about Sydney? Ah, the Sydney Cricket Ground, where history meets unpredictability! The pitch here tends to play true, but under lights, there’s that sneaky turn that spinners love. Winning the toss could give an advantage. Expect a par score around 280-300, and anything below, and the chasing team will fancy their chances. Key battles? Oh, plenty! Rohit vs Starc in the Powerplay - a classic. Kohli (if he fires this time) vs Zampa - chapter infinity of their duel. Axar vs Short - a tactical arm wrestle. And don’t miss Siraj vs Marsh - both men love a fight. Every mini-battle here could shape the big war. So, who has the upper hand? On paper - Australia, no debate. But on heart and hunger - maybe, just maybe, India have one more punch left. The series might be lost, but the pride of more than a billion hearts isn’t. Will it be a clean sweep for the Kangaroos or a poetic redemption for the Men in Blue? Well, as cricket’s old poets would say - Hope, like a late-cut, finds its way through the tiniest gaps.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul(w), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Prasidh Krishna
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe(w), Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Hazlewood, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann
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Can Washington Sundar’s spin choke the Aussie power hitters? The blueprint is simple - take early wickets, break the partnerships, and don’t let Zampa bowl to the lower order. Easy to say, hard to do! The Aussies, though, won’t ease up! Marsh, Short, and Head at the top can destroy rhythm in ten balls flat. And Connolly - what a find! The young left-hander’s fearless approach has added new muscle to their middle order. Zampa and Starc are their finishing weapons - one spins, one swings, and together, they make chasing look like climbing Everest barefoot. Their biggest advantage? Depth! Even Bartlett and Hazlewood chipped in with key wickets. Now, what about Sydney? Ah, the Sydney Cricket Ground, where history meets unpredictability! The pitch here tends to play true, but under lights, there’s that sneaky turn that spinners love. Winning the toss could give an advantage. Expect a par score around 280-300, and anything below, and the chasing team will fancy their chances. Key battles? Oh, plenty! Rohit vs Starc in the Powerplay - a classic. Kohli (if he fires this time) vs Zampa - chapter infinity of their duel. Axar vs Short - a tactical arm wrestle. And don’t miss Siraj vs Marsh - both men love a fight. Every mini-battle here could shape the big war. So, who has the upper hand? On paper - Australia, no debate. But on heart and hunger - maybe, just maybe, India have one more punch left. The series might be lost, but the pride of more than a billion hearts isn’t. Will it be a clean sweep for the Kangaroos or a poetic redemption for the Men in Blue? Well, as cricket’s old poets would say - Hope, like a late-cut, finds its way through the tiniest gaps.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul(w), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Prasidh Krishna
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe(w), Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Starc, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Hazlewood, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann
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All posters, please take note of the following guidelines for match threads on PakPassion:
1. No personal insults at other posters, players, officials, coaching staff, etc.
2. No making fun of players', officials', or coaching staff's names.
3. Do not add any references to media, their social media, or post any pictures or screenshots from other sports websites.
4. Stick to commenting on this match. There is no need to bring other countries into the match discussion, as there are plenty of other threads where those discussions can be added.
Anyway you have more interest in this series than Indians (other than Kohli fans) 
