Cricket World Cup 2019: India look to exorcise the ghosts of 2015 against Australia

Sooraj Kamath - Writer 19:17 08/06/2019
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  • Two teams with a spicy history between them take the field in London as an upbeat India face a gritty Australian side in the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

    Virat Kohli’s men will look to build on their convincing win over South Africa, while Australia attempt to make it three wins from three after beating West Indies in a thriller.

    There’s no love lost between the two teams, who have consistently battled at the top for two decades. We look ahead to the big game.

    Will ghosts of 2015 haunt India?

    Steve Smith

    Steve Smith

    A Steve Smith led Australian side dominated India and dumped them out of the World Cup in the 2015 semi-finals. The Aussies set India a target of 329 runs and won the game by a massive 95 runs.

    Smith is now back from a one-year ban and if his performance against West Indies is anything to go by, the former skipper has shown that he could be the resolute batsman Australia need to anchor the innings should they suffer from another top-order collapse.

    Meanwhile, India will be eyeing retribution as they look to bury the ghosts of the humiliating defeat in Sydney four years ago.

    India’s spin-attack could rattle the Aussies

    Chahal

    Chahal

    The spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are fresh from their demolition of South Africa’s middle-order. The pair picked up five wickets, with Chahal claiming a four-wicket haul.

    The ball was turning brilliantly for Chahal in particular and it was his first spell that took the game away from the Proteas.

    In the last innings played at the Oval, spinners claimed six of the eight wickets as Bangladesh failed in their attempts to keep New Zealand from reaching a target of 245. Should the Indian spinners pick up from where the Bangladeshis left off, Australia could be in big trouble.

    The Aussies have Adam Zampa in their ranks but are likely to be more reliant on pacers Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins who are enjoying a great start to their World Cup.

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