What: Tri-Series ODI
Who: Australia v India
When: Australia Day, January 26 – 2.20pm (AEDT)
Where: The SCG
I Can Watch It On: Channel Nine
Things you need to know:
Australia captain George Bailey will return from a one-match ban for a slow-over rate while David Warner and Shane Watson are both tipped to play. Warner was rested from the two-wicket win over England in Hobart while Watson sat out with a hamstring injury. Shaun Marsh, Cameron White and Moises Henriques are expected to drop out of the squad. Josh Hazlewood (heel) and fellow quick Mitchell Johnson (personal reasons) look likely to miss the SCG clash. Australia have already booked a spot in the Tri Series final in Perth on Sunday, February 1 with wins over England (twice) and India to start their campaign.
India are winless in their first two Tri Series hit-outs and must prevail in both of their remaining games to make the final. They opened the tournament with a four-wicket loss to Australia before copping a nine-wicket bonus-point thumping at the hands of England at the Gabba where they were skittled for just 153. Paceman Ishant Sharma (knee) is expected to return for Monday's clash, batsman Rohit Sharma is in some doubt with a sore hamstring while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja remains sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Reason To Watch:
Steve Smith. The in-form Australian continued his golden summer with a match-winning 102 not out against England in Hobart. The knock meant he scored centuries in his first match as both Test and ODI skipper.
Reason To Turn Away:
If you're an Australian fan and Smith gets out.
Say What:
"Momentum is a good thing in limited-overs cricket and hopefully we can keep up this momentum and keep playing some good cricket going into the final of the tri series and into the World Cup," Smith on the importance of continuing to win before the World Cup.
Final Word:
Australia enters this one as strong favourites and it's hard to argue with the bookies. Uncertainty over both line-ups is the only thing stopping us from predicting an Aussie win with total certainty. A near sell-out crowd is expected at the SCG on what is both nations' national day. There'll be plenty of emotion from both sets of players but we're tipping Australia to win a competitive clash.
Teams:
Predicted Australia squad: George Bailey (c), Steven Smith (captain), Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Gurinder Sandhu, Mitchell Starc, Shane Watson, David Warner.
India: TBC.