India and Australia will battle it out in the second semi-final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at Sydney on Thursday. Shiamak Unwalla looks at the possible encounters between Virat Kohli and Mitchell Johnson; Rohit Sharma and Mitchell Starc; as well as other key battles that could dictate the fate of the match.
1. Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Johnson: Undoubtedly the most mouth-watering contest on the cards, Virat Kohli’s clashes with Mitchell Johnson was the talking point of the Test series that preceded the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
Kohli and Johnson had a few run-ins on the field, but it was their contest between the bat and ball that truly made the series come alive. In a high-pressure World Cup semi-final, Kohli will be India’s main batsman. How he deals with Australia’s spearhead will be vital to India’s chances. Top 10 batsmen in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
2. David Warner vs Umesh Yadav: The Australian opener was in belligerent form against India in the Test series and also in the One-Day International (ODI) tri-series before the World Cup. The Indian bowlers were guilty of feeding him wide and full deliveries, which he punished with disdain. Top 10 bowlers in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
Since then though, India’s bowlers have taken a U-turn. The same bowlers who were guilty of the most transgressions in line and length — Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami — have upped their games in overwhelming fashion. Umesh has frequently crossed the 145 kmph barrier in the World Cup, and will try to keep Warner on the back foot early on. Top 10 fielders in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
3. Rohit Sharma vs Mitchell Starc: Rohit Sharma has shown some form recently, and his tremendous century against Bangladesh in the quarter-final will have given his confidence a further boost. He was the only Indian batsman to score a century in the tri-series, and will be keen to replicate his efforts against Australia’s intimidating pace attack. Top 10 wicketkeepers in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
Mitchell Starc has been outstanding in the World Cup so far, and has frequently out-bowled his fellow Mitch, Johnson. Starc destroyed India with a six-wicket spell in the match in which Rohit got a century in the tri-series. The duo would be keen to see who would enjoy the bragging rights this time around.
4. Steven Smith vs Mohammed Shami: It was impossible for India to get Steven Smith out in the Australian summer. He was pulling rabbits out of every hat he owned, and the Indian bowlers were getting too disconcerted to punch back.
This time around, Mohammed Shami’s wicket-taking form will be a big boost for India. The Indian pacer will be looking to get past Smith early. He has shown a penchant for coming back after a poor spell, and has taken wickets seemingly out of nowhere. He will be India’s best bet to get their bane out early.
5. Michael Clarke vs MS Dhoni: The battle of wits between India’s calm, collected captain MS Dhoni and Australia’s aggressive, in-your-face skipper Michael Clarke will be a keen one. India have shown the ability to soak up the pressure of playing in a World Cup. They have made it to each of the last three ICC tournament finals, winning two of them.
Dhoni’s captaincy has been spot-on as usual, and India have dealt with close matches the best in this World Cup. On the other hand, Australia have shown the tendency of getting anxious quickly, and playing some restless shots while under pressure. This is the key difference between both captains, and by extension the two sides. Which captain keeps his cool could decide how the game pans out.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek and Cricket fanatic. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
Written by 
