India vs Australia 2020: India has started the new year on the right note after defeating Sri Lanka most convincingly as they won both the T20s pretty easily. India is slowly and steadily finding the right combination for the shortest format. The year 2020 is all about the shortest format but in the meanwhile, the focus will shift towards the ODI format as Australia is visiting India for a three-match ODI series.
It is always exciting to watch both these teams play. When the last time these two teams played in India, Australia came from behind and won the series 3-2. Australia will be high on confidence after winning five home Tests on the trot.
Whenever Australia tour India they have some young players in their team who have the burning desire to perform in the subcontinent conditions. Last time, Peter Handscomb, Jhye Richardson and Ashton Turner put their hand up and did the job for Australia. This time as well they have a few young players in their squad.
So, on that note, let’s have a look at three young players to watch out for in this much anticipated ODI series.
- Ashton Agar
Australia has finally given up on the experiment with Nathan Lyon in the ODI format and their shifting more towards the trend of left-arm spin and a wrist spinner. As a result, they have picked Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar in the team.
Traditionally, in the sub-continent conditions, every team goes in with two spinners and that would be the case for Australia as well. Ashton Agar hasn’t played a lot of ODI cricket and so this would be a test for him. He is a bowler who will try and keep it tight and force the batsman to make a mistake.
India has a lot of right-handers in the team and he would enjoy bowling to them. The 26-year-old left-arm spinner would want to make a strong case for the T20 World Cup and so would want to perform well. The conditions in India will suit his bowling style and hence he is one of the young players to watch out for in this series.
- Marnus Labuschagne
In the pre-series press conferences, all the talk is about this new young sensation from Australia. Marnus Labuschagne has taken the world by storm. He came in as a concussion replacement for Smith and as they say, rest is history.
The leading run-scorer in Tests in 2019 started the year 2020 with a double hundred. His great batting form in the Tests led to his selection in the ODI squad. He has a proper technique and unbelievably calm temperament.
Australia’s captain Aaron Finch does not doubt Labuschagne bringing in the same form to the ODI format as well. After a successful 2019, Marnus is all set to make his ODI debut in 2020 against India.
The 25-year-old batsman would enjoy batting on three good batting pitches in India. He has the hunger and desire to score runs and that is enough to perform well for your country. It would be interesting to see how Marnus performs for the first time in Yellow colors.
- Navdeep Saini
After the T20 series against Sri Lanka, all the talk is about India’s new pace sensation Navdeep Saini. Saini who has played under Virat Kohli for RCB picked up five wickets in the two T20 games.
Everybody is pleasantly surprised at his pace and all want to see his firing Yorkers which rattle the stumps. He is consistently crossing the 150 KMPH mark which is a great sign for Indian cricket. He can hustle any batsman with pace.
He still can work on his death bowling but at the moment he is a seriously good bowler. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar missing out, Saini will get ample opportunities to show his skills.
This would be Saini’s first series against a big team and he would be eager to perform well. Indian pace bowlers bowling well is always a sight to watch and hence when Saini pairs up with Bumrah it is something which shouldn’t be missed.
