The Men in Blue had to wait for six days to begin their World Cup 2019 campaign as they faced South Africa in the 50-over encounter on June 5. However, the Indian team, after waiting for six days, managed to win against the Proteas by six wickets which should be a headstart that the Indian camp needed to begin the cash-rich International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament.
Despite a cakewalk win, the Indian camp needs to stay focused as they will meet a strong Australian side on June 9. The encounter should be interesting as one of the best ODI sides will clash against the defending champions and the squad led by Virat Kohli will look to avenge their World Cup 2015 semi-final defeat which they lost by 95 runs.
And so, prior to a classic Yellow and Blue battle, here are some things India would need keep in mind:
During their match against South Africa, the Indian bowling played a vital role in restricting the opponents to a below-par total. With Jasprit Bumrah shattering stumps and Yuzvendra Chahal spinning India to victory, India will tick the box for a consistent bowling performance without a second thought.
However, every bowler will have to be disciplined to leave no stone unturned in choking the Australian side. Unlike West Indies, India has a more focused bowling lineup and therefore, the Men in Blue will have to get rid of in-form David Warner and Steve Smith early in the game.
While the Indian bowling has got a straight 'A', the batting aspect still has a lot to look upon. One of the Virat Kohli-led side's oldest woes is the subtle middle order collapse. Had Rohit Sharma been out early, the Indian side would have shattered like a castle of glass against the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir.
To put this in perspective, chasing the 230-run target, Rohit Sharma scored 122 runs whereas the No.3, No.4, and No.5 batsman scored 78 runs collectively. While it was not a big issue in a low-scoring match, the middle order crisis would have certainly caused some real issues for the Men in Blue in any other match.
In their match against West Indies, the Australian lower-middle order consisting of batsmen below No.7, scored 147 runs after the Carribean bowlers ran through the Australian batting line-up. Nathan Coulter-Nile along with Alex Carey anchored the innings as he scored a match-winning 92-run knock whereas Carey played a supporting inning of 45 off 55 deliveries.
And therefore, India will need to look to keep the Aussie lower-middle order quiet while they look out for an in-form Warner-Smith duo and a fiery Mitchell Starc who claimed his second World Cup five-wicket in the last night's match.
Both India and Australia are strong contenders for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 title, but if Virat Kohli & Co. keep ignoring the minor flaws every time and relying on a single hero in every match, it can cost them more than just a match. Let us hope we can witness a fair and exciting game of cricket on Sunday, June 9.
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