With India hosting the ODI World Cup later this year, an in-form Rahul and a fully-fit Jadeja will be valuable assets, and the three-match series will help selectors assess the duo’s progress.
    India would look to take a 2-0 series lead and also make amends with the bat, after they were in trouble at 4/39 and later 5/83 before Rahul and Jadeja came together at the crease to guide the hosts to victory with 61 balls to spare.
    Rohit Sharma’s return to captaincy will undoubtedly strengthen the top order, which crumbled under the pace and variations of Australian quick Mitchell Starc.
    The lanky left-arm pacer’s three-wicket burst early on put India under intense pressure, with Virat Kohli (4), Suryakumar Yadav (0), and Shubman Gill (20) all departing in quick succession after Marcus Stoinis had made an early dent by dismissing Ishan Kishan for three runs.
    Indian batters have occasionally looked tentative against quality left-arm pacers, and facing Starc in the remaining two games should provide them with valuable practise in home conditions as they prepare for the World Cup in October-November.
    With Sharma set to start, Kishan will most likely be replaced by the regular captain. While not much should be read into Kohli and Gill’s below-par scores in the first ODI, Suryakumar Yadav not being able to find his mojo in the 50-over format is a reason for concern.
    Suryakumar, a T20I batting marauder, is clearly still finding his feet in ODIs. He has failed to score a fifty in all five One-Day Internationals this year. Surya has now played 15 ODIs (13 innings) without scoring more than 50 runs.
    With no timetable set for Shreyas Iyer’s return, India will continue to audition Suryakumar for the role at No. 4.
    source: News24 SportsIndia’s bowling performed admirably in Mumbai, with pacers Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj excelling on the pace-friendly Wankhede pitch. However, wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav failed to make an impression.
    The weather forecast for the second ODI calls for scattered thunderstorms, at least in the first half, which means pacers from both teams can swing the ball if the conditions are windy.

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