Updated: Mar 17, 2023
Australia vs India, ODI Series 2022-23: Australia lead India 30-29 in ODI matches in India; A look at top three games between the two sides in India.
India and Australia are set to lock horns once again in a bilateral series, and this time it will be in the three-match ODI series that is scheduled to start from March 17 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Both teams fought really hard in the just concluded Test series with the visiting Australian side putting in lion-hearted efforts in the last two Test matches. Though they lost the series 1-2, Australia can take pride in how they performed and now it is time for some white-ball action.
With the mercury beginning to soar in India, the cricketing action will also definitely flare up in this short, limited overs series.
India-Australia Head-to-Head in ODIs
Matches played: 143; Australia won: 80; India: 53: NR: 10
India-Australia Head-to-Head in ODIs in India:
Matches played: 64; Australia won: 30; India: 29: NR: 5
Australia have their nose clearly ahead of India as far as ODI cricket is concerned. They have won more than 50 per cent of the games and have a marginally higher win percentage in India as well.
Though not part of the ICC World ODI Super league, this ODI series has so much significance for both teams involved, which we will get in depth in due course. But firstly, we can go through some of the best ODI matches held in India involving both these sides.
India vs Australia, 4th ODI at Mohali, 2019
This was a high scoring thriller at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali where 717 runs were scored cumulatively by both the teams. Batting first, India accumulated a whopping 358/9 with opener Shikhar Dhawan registering his highest ODI score of 143 and Rohit making a 92-ball 95 to propel India to that score.
India began the defence well taking a couple of early wickets and at that stage seemed to put brakes on Australia and take an unassailable lead of 3-1 but a century from Peter Handscomb and a stunning 43-ball 84 from batter Ashton Turner gave the visitors a famous win in India.
With this momentum, Australia went on to win the deciding ODI as well and captured the series 3-2 after being 0-2 down at one stage.
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India vs Australia, 2nd ODI at Kolkata, 2017
It was the 2nd match of the 2017 ODI series where Australia visited India for a 5-match ODI series. After claiming a win in the first rain-hit ODI at Chennai, India came to the iconic Eden Gardens for the 2nd ODI against the visitors.
India could manage to score only 252 runs which was a below-par score in the modern game. Skipper Virat Kohli was at his best, top-scoring with a 107-ball 92 for India.
In reply, Australia lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for mere 202 in the 44th over. The icing on the cake was the hat-trick by India’s chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav. India went on to win the series 4-1.
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India vs Australia, 2nd ODI at Jaipur, 2013
It was an unforgettable thriller played at the now defunct Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. After going down in the first ODI in Pune, India took on a confident Aussie side at Jaipur and the visitors made merry batting first on a belter of a pitch in Jaipur. All of Australia’s top-5 batters scored half-centuries with relative ease and they piled up a mammoth 359/5 in their 50 overs.
Things looked tough for the hosts at the halfway stage but the famous trio of Indian ODI cricket formed a partnership to take Inda to a fairly comfortable 9-wicket win with more than 6 overs to spare. Rohit Sharma (141*) and Virat Kohli (100*) made centuries with the latter registering the fastest ever by an Indian in ODI cricket (52 balls). Shikhar Dhawan made a 86-ball 95 as the hosts cantered to their highest-ever ODI chase.
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How this ODI series will help both the teams?
With the Cricket World Cup 2023 slated to take place later this year in India, all the teams have begun their preparations for this quintessential multi-national tournament. This also applies for two of the best ODI teams in the world – India and Australia.
For Australia, it is all about playing in Indian conditions, strategise and come up with the right combinations ahead of the World Cup. In all, this series will be seen as ideal preparation for the Steven Smith-led ODI team.
India have been playing ODIs at home for quite a while and some more games are scheduled before the mega event but nothing comes close to playing the 5-time ODI WC champions Australia.
This should be a humdinger of a series and we can expect it to be a close affair much like the last ODI series between the teams.
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