By CricketCountry Staff
India will look to maintain their winning momentum when they take on Australia in the opening game of the Commonwealth Bank tri-series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Published: Feb 05, 2012, 08:40 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 05, 2012, 08:40 AM (IST)
Sachin Tendulkar’s return in the side will boost the confidence of young players © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
Melbourne: Feb 5, 2012
India will look to maintain their winning momentum when they take on Australia in the opening game of the Commonwealth Bank tri-series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
India captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat against Australia in the first ODI. Sachin Tendulkar was inclluded in the playing eleven in place of Virender Sehwag.
After a 0-4 thrashing in the Tests and a loss in the first T20 against Australia, India tasted victory in the second T20, winning by eight wickets last night.
The beleaguered Indians have been revitalised by the arrival of young players such as Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul Sharma.
The effort on the field was markedly improved and the Indians would be hoping that the shift in the momentum continues in the ODIs as well.
The team will have its share of seniors as well with veteran Sachin Tendulkar’s return to the fold. Tendulkar, still on the threshold of his 100th international century, has put his hands up for the tri-series in order to cross the milestone.
The maestro has faced unprecedented pressure in the last one year during which he played 11 Tests and 21 innings but still wasn’t able to get over the line.
Teams:
Australia: David Warner, Matthew Wade (wk), Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (c), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Dan Christian, Ryan Harris, Mitchell Starc, Clint McKay, Xavier Doherty.
India: Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni (c&wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, R Vinay Kumar, Rahul Sharma.
Catch live scores and ball-by-ball commentary of the first ODI here
