Two cricketing titans, India and Australia, are all set to lock horns in the first ODI of their thrilling three-match series. The face-off takes place on Friday, September 22, at Mohali’s iconic PCA IS Bindra Stadium. This isn’t the first time the Aussies are competing on Indian soil this year; they already clinched a 2-1 win in a previous ODI series.

The Stage Is Set: Who’s Got the Upper Hand?

Australia has had the upper hand lately, taking the last two ODI series against India. The energy is palpable as these cricket juggernauts prepare for yet another gripping showdown. Pat Cummins is back in the captain’s saddle after missing the South Africa series. Unfortunately for Australia, Travis Head is sidelined with a left-hand fracture, but that opens the door for Marnus Labuschagne, the star of the South Africa series, to potentially cement his spot.

On the flip side, India is coming off a resounding win at the Asia Cup, where they decimated Sri Lanka in the finals. Mohammed Siraj led a bowling attack that held Sri Lanka to just 50 runs. It’s clear that India is ironing out the wrinkles and aiming to settle scores with Australia.

Captaincy and Comebacks

KL Rahul is captaining India for the first two ODIs, while the ‘Hitman’ Rohit Sharma will take over in the third. The squad also welcomes back Ravichandran Ashwin after nearly a 20-month hiatus. Hold your breath, folks; the third ODI also marks the return of Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, and Hardik Pandya.