In Wankhede Stadium, the India National Cricket Team choose to bowl first against Australia after winning the toss. The fact that the daring batsman David Warner was injured delivered the Australians a devastating blow. Amazingly, Alex Carey wasn’t among the starting 11. Alex Carey’s performance on BGT 2023 was forgettable, and he appeared to be in serious trouble.
The Australians have a lengthy and dangerous batting lineup, which will put captain Hardik Pandya (*only for the first ODI) to the test. The bowling trio of Shami, Siraj, and Shardul for India is strong, while the spin pair of `Jadeja & Kuldeep may wreck havoc. The Wankhede surface appears to be in excellent condition, so it will be interesting to see how Hardik rotates the bowlers.
Steve Smith on Alex Carey
Steve Smith during the coin toss was asked about their playing 11 against India
“Alex Carey’s sick, he’s gone home. Josh Inglis has come in. David Warner’s still not fit, he’s missing out today. Mitchell Marsh is going to go to the top. The rest will come up on TV, I’m sure!” said Steve Smith.
Concerns for Australia
Australia might suffer without Alex Carey because the left-handed hitter can give the team solidity in the middle innings, especially when facing spinners. Josh Inglis has been selected for the starting lineup, where the batter may deliver ferocious punches towards the end of innings. Australians would try to post a total above 280 because there is a likelihood that dew may be a factor.
The left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav will be eager to establish their case for the forthcoming ODI World Cup 2023, thus all eyes will be on them. As an all-rounder who will return to the ODI stage after July 2022, it will be intriguing to see if Ravindra Jadeja can carry over his form.
