India vs Australia – Fourth ODI Preview: Pride at stake for India as World Champions aim for whitewash

ByArun S Kaimal, SportsCafe Editor

01/19/2016

With the series already decided in favour of the hosts, India will aim to salvage pride in the fourth ODI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday while the World Champions will look to continue their remarkable stretch of consecutive wins at home.

India has played only one ODI at the Canberra, and the Men in Blue ended up on the wrong side of the result against Sri Lanka in 2008 after Duckworth–Lewis played a part in the Lankans' eight-wicket victory in the Commonwealth Bank Series. High-scoring games have been the norm in the series, and it looks set to continue on Wednesday with the pitch predicted to be batting-friendly. In the last International ODI at the venue, South Africa scored a mammoth 411/4 against Ireland in the 2015 ICC World Cup before bundling out the Irish for 210.

The Men in Blue have played the same game thrice in the first three ODIs and finished on the wrong side of all three. The away side must look to do something different at the Manuka Oval and electing to chase will be a good start with India’s batting looking formidable.

On the Australian side, everything looks hunky-dory after clinching the series in a stroll. The already-frightening Aussie batting appear even more ominous after the return of opener David Warner from paternity leave. With Glen Maxwell stating their ambitions of a 5-0 whitewash, the contest at Canberra will be a tight battle.

Team News

After the surprise inclusion of Gurkeerat Singh and Rishi Dhawan for the third ODI, Dhoni may revert back to his favourite three pacer-two spinner combination following the lacklustre performances of the debutants. Left-armer Barinder Sran could also find his way out of the XI after conceding more than seven runs an over at the MCG. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin and Manish Pandey could be in line to return to the team with Gurkeerat, Rishi Dhawan and Sran making way for them.

Australia will welcome back opener David Warner straight into the XI with Aaron Finch likely to make way for the vice-captain. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon could also get a look-in after impressing the selectors with his performance in the ongoing Big Bash League.

India XI (likely): Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahane, Dhoni (c), Pandey, Jadeja, Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar, Ishant, Umesh

Australia XI (likely): Warner, Marsh, Smith (c), Bailey, Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Wade, Lyon/Boland, Faulkner, Hastings, Richardson

Match timings: 8.50 am IST, 11.20 am Local

TV listings: Star Sports 1, HD 1 (English), Star Sports 3, HD3 (Hindi)

Live Streaming: Hotstar.com

(Read: Dhoni will step aside, If he feels he’s not the right man for the job: Michael Hussey)