New Delhi:
MS Dhoni and Co. will be under intense pressure as take on mighty Australian team in the do-or-die sixth one-dayer at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Australians are ahead in seven-match ODI series with a 2-1 lead after fourth and fifth ODIs were washed-out due to heavy rains in Ranchi and Cuttack respectively.
Indian under-performing players, especially bowlers need to pull up their socks and ‘restore their line and length against Australian batting line-up.
Indians have no option but to win the remaining two matches to clinch the ODI series.
"From our point of view this is the game we want to win. We don't want to save it for the last game on Sunday (at Bangalore). We want to wrap up with this game. Obviously from their (India's) point of view they need to win to stay alive and from that point pretty crucial for them," said Australian left arm spinner Xavier Doherty in the run-up to the crucial match at the stadium.
Indian batsmen have time and again proved their worth and scored runs whenever it was required.
But there is slight worry in the middle order as Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh struggled against the pace and bounce of Mitchell Johnson.
The wicket at the Jamtha stadium will suit pacers more as speedsters have certainly exposed some loop holes in the Indian batting line up.
Doherty expected some turn from the wicket after the run-fest in this series of tall scores.
"I expected some spinning wickets as we got in the Test series here (earlier this year). Probably the last game it rained (in Ranchi) or it might have been spinning a bit. Looks like this wicket will spin a bit and spinners will play a bit more of a role," he said ahead of the clash.
From India's point of view, some extra turn would be very welcome especially for the struggling R Ashwin whose economy rate has gone for a toss in the batting-friendly conditions.
Ashwin, who grabbed 29 wickets in the four-Test series against the visitors in February-March, has taken some heavy punishment from the in-form Australian duo of opener Aaron Finch and skipper George Bailey.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar too has not looked good enough so far and gave way to Jaydev Unadkat in the Ranchi match which was abandoned when rains came during India's run-chase.
Shami, Unadkat and R Vinay Kumar, who too has been expensive, formed the new ball combination in Ranchi.
It remains to be seen whether Ishant will be given another chance to rectify his poor display in the series as he had a long stint at the nets with Ashwin.
Teams (from):
India: MS Dhoni (Capt.), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Vinay Kumar, Amit Mishra, Jaydev Unadkat and Mohd. Shami.
Australia: George Bailey (Capt.), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Callum Ferguson, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Moises Henriques, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Adam Voges, Shane Watson.
