IND Vs AUS Preview: Two types of cricketing fans are currently awaiting the finals with an air of fearlessness on one hand and unrequited trepidation on the other. The first group is the modern fan, who are baying for blood after the semifinal loss of 2015, and then there is the cricket fan of the 90s, who saw that brutal evisceration in 2003 by an Australian side that was in a league of their own. Whatever the emotion is, an entire nation holds its collective breath in what is the biggest game in India’s cricket history since 2011. 

Standing between the dream of the Men in Blue and an entire nation is a team that knows a thing or two about rocking up to finals and winning them in equal measure. Australia seems to be the only team that has the grit, that battle-hardened intensity, and the grizzled determination to become the ultimate party poopers in what could potentially be a day of seismic and monumental significance where Ahmedabad becomes the epicenter of not only the culmination of a World Cup but the sphere of power for International Cricket in general.

How did both teams get here?

For India, the World Cup has been nothing but a beautiful Midsummer Night’s Dream, where everything they have done has given them nothing but unadulterated success. From Rohit breathing fire, Virat performing with ice in his veins, Shreyas Iyer wielding his bat to tonk sixes like Thor wielding his Mjolnir, to Shami, Bumrah, and Siraj doing their perfect imitation of Cerberus by literally escorting opposition batsmen to the gates of Hades, this Indian side has been virtually infallible. Played 10. Won 10. It has been nothing but pure stamps of authority by virtue of performances that will be enough for this generation to write odes about it.

Australia, on the other hand, have gone through a gamut of emotions in the course of 9 games. From the ignominy of being the basement dwellers after 2 games to the sheer craze of adrenaline-fuelled ecstasy in Mumbai against Afghanistan, they have fought battles of different kinds and have added a layer of resilience and grit for each scar they have received. They’ve annihilated and have been annihilated in equal measure, but have entered this finals on the back of ripping 8 straight wins themselves. Warner seems to have found his mojo, Travis Head has been the “Element X” this side has needed desperately, and Maxwell is Maxwelling again. Even without baring their fangs, these battle-hardened guys led by Pat Cummins are one step away from number 6.

IND Vs AUS: Head-to-Head

Meetings between these sides are normally dominated by the Men in Yellow, but the recent games have seen an upswing in the sense that India have been the dominant side between the two, having won the 3-game ODI series between the two just before the World Cup began. If that was not enough, India emerged victorious in the campaign opener between the 2 sides way back on October 8th, with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul guiding the team out of potential choppy waters.

IND Vs AUS Key battle- Rohit’s bravado vs Josh Hazlewood’s metronomy

There have been only two teams that Rohit has been unable to assert his dominance over- One was Sri Lanka and the other the very same opponents he faces tomorrow, with the stakes at the highest this time around. Rohit vs Australia was dismissed for a duck to leave India reeling at 2-3 at one stage. The man to dismiss him: Josh Hazlewood.

Josh Hazlewood’s metronomic accuracy is the perfect kryptonite to Rohit’s unbridled sense of aggression in the powerplay. His length constantly hits the batsmen on the knee roll, something that is not full enough to drive, and not too short enough to pull. Whoever wins the battle between the two gladiators within the powerplay will have a huge bearing on the bigger picture of the game.

Prediction

Both teams enter the finals on significant winning streaks. India with 10 straight and Australia 8 straight. So both teams are truly deserving of their place in the finals, but it is very very hard to look past India winning their 3rd World Cup, with 1,30,000 people behind them.

Author Credits- Delwyn Serrao