Teams look to gain advantage as series stands leveled

Just as Oz looked very firm and back with form, another injury has struck them. It was only the first one-day for Oz which was played without any injury scare amongst the 15-man squad and since then as many as five players have been injured and sent home. The latest two being Peter Siddle and Moises Henriques. Peter Siddle, yesterday, was sent home as major stiffness in his left side was diagnosed. Within 24-hours of this, Moises Henriques, who indeed joined the squad mid-tour as a replacement for James Hopes has also been declared un-fit as he injured his right hamstring during the Mohali game and if speculations are to believed, he too could be sent back home. Earlier, Brett Lee, James Hopes and Tim Paine too got injured during the tour and were eventually sent home. Now, the Aussies are looking a real depleted side and the bowling attack now will be a real worry for the team management. The team has, as of now, only 13 fully fit players. Being already hit by major injuries even before the tour started in Michael Clarke, Nathan Bracken and Callum Ferguson, Ricky Ponting, as he quoted felt for those injured. "It's disappointing to see these guys go down, because you know how much they want to play and be a part of the series and do the best they can to win games and win series,'' Ponting told AAP. "So it's more disappointing for them moreso than anything. I'm sure everyone who's returned back home would much rather be here with the series as it is at the moment, but we've got what we've got.'' The Indians on the other hand have Gambhir to deal with. As I write, there hasn’t been a word on his fitness yet, but it is unlikely that he sits out.

The match, yet again a day-night encounter, will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium which earlier hosted matches of Champions League. If the curator is to be believed, the pitch will be a sporting one, but a high scoring encounter is on cards. The last time an ODI was player here was in 2007, co-incidentally the opponents being Australia. Australia went on to win the game by 47 runs even though Yuvraj Singh did hit a blazing 115-ball 121. In fact, only two ODIs have been played here and in the other one played in 2005 against South Africa, Yuvraj had hit a hundred, but unfortunately India did lost the game! Hence, the ground is a happy hunting place for Yuvraj but not really same goes for the home team. Hence, team India would love to break the shackles and register the first win here @ RGIS and also this game will be the first day-night encounter for the ground, becoming the 15th ground in India to host a day-night encounter. The weathermen have predicted chances of Isolated Thunderstorms and temperatures ranging between 20°C and 29°C.

The teams, especially Australia, will like to keep the injuries at bay and get on with the game. As there hasn’t be any word for replacements of either Siddle or Henriques,

Australia possessing a depleted line-up will have to bring back Ben Hilfenhaus and either the spinner Jon Holland or the fast bowler Clint McKay, both from Victoria, may debut and the remaining line-up being retained. On the other hand, India will look for Gambhir being fit and hence Kohli making room for him. But, India if looks back, they’d love to add in extra batsman in place of Jadeja, who hasn’t really done a job as far as batting is concerned. Meaning, either Kohli retaining his place in return of Gambhir or Karthik coming in if Gambhir doesn’t makes to final XI.

Whatever it may be, Australia have shown that even with the depleted side, they can win. Hence, a nail-biting encounter can be on hands and people will love as a run riot is expected.