India will take on Australia in their first match as tournament hosts of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
The stadium is expected to be sold out for the clash as India head into the tournament looking for their first 50-over World Cup trophy since 2011. Rohit Sharma’s side will be supported by the crowd, but also will have to contend with the expectation of a nation on their shoulders, especially as they currently rank first in the ICC ODI rankings.
Sachin Tendulkar spoke during the tournament opener on Wednesday about how sometimes the team have to remember that hundreds of millions are behind them rather than sitting on their shoulders.
Australia lost the pre-tournament series in India against Rohit Sharma’s side, but as the England defeat to New Zealand has shown, the bilateral series results can have little effect on the outcome of a World Cup clash. India will also be hoping their side is up to full fitness.
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When is India vs Australia?
The Cricket World Cup fixture starts at 9.30am BST (or 2pm local time) on Sunday 8 October in Chennai.
How can I watch it?
India vs Australia will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket, with coverage starting from 9am.
For those in India, Star Sports will be showing the match in five different languages on TV.
The game can also be streamed online on the Disney+Hotstar app or website.
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Team news
India might have to play without Shubman Gill in their first game, with the opener reportedly suffering from a fever that could be dengue. Gill missed team training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis is doubtful for Australia’s first match with a hamstring injury, and a late call is expected to be made over his fitness.
Adam Zampa has missed the last three matches to manage his workload, while Travis Head fractured his hand during the pre-tournament series and is expected to miss the early stages of the World Cup.
Predicted teams:
India XI: Sharma, Gill, Kohli, Iyer, Rahul, Pandya, Jadeja, Ashwin, Yadav, Bumrah, Siraj
Australia XI: Marsh, Warner, Smith, Labuschagne, Green, Carey, Maxwell, Zampa, Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc
Odds
India 5/8
Australia 13/10
Prediction
It will be a high-stakes close-fought encounter from the outset, but with the crowd behind them and the home advantage India will secure the victory. India to win by 3 wickets.
