The World Cup caravan lastly returns to Ahmedabad, the place it commenced its journey on October 5. This Sunday, a packed Narendra Modi Stadium will witness the summit conflict between India and Australia. The host is in prime kind, having notched 10 wins on the trot, including a fine victory over doughty New Zealand in the semifinal at Mumbai. Meanwhile, Australia started on the wrong foot with two losses before winning eight consecutive games. With Australia having gained cricket’s premier championship on 5 events, Pat Cummins and his males should reside as much as a hallowed legacy. Their semifinal towards South Africa had the thrills related to low-scoring humdingers at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. The final time India and Australia clashed in a World Cup last, it was within the 2003 version at Johannesburg in South Africa, and Ricky Ponting’s males gained by 125 runs. Two many years later, Rahul Dravid, a key participant concerned in that iconic match, is now the Indian crew’s coach. The former India captain will certainly infuse pragmatism with out firming down the adrenaline surge throughout the dressing room. Back then, Zaheer Khan obtained locked in a confrontation with Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, misplaced his focus, and shortly the competition nestled contained in the rival’s pocket.

This time round, Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma swear by the philosophy of taking it one match at a time. World Cup finals are huge sporting engagements, the place the very best both discover additional reserves of energy or watch their legs flip into jelly. If India sticks to its constant strategies, executed properly thus far on this championship, it ought to begin because the favorite. Rohit Sharma’s ballistic begins, Shubman Gill’s poise, Virat Kohli’s prolific run, and the mixed yield of Shreyas Iyer, Ok.L. Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav, have ensured that rivals haven’t any aid on the sector. A bowling assault helmed by Jasprit Bumrah has prised open the opposition’s prime order earlier than the spinners stepped in and strangled the center order within the center sport. Kohli, with 711 runs, is the main batter on this World Cup, and Mohammed Shami leads the bowlers’ pack with 23 scalps. Still, Australia will stay a combative unit, scrapping onerous, by no means ceding an inch. Even although all its batting stars haven’t carried out as easily because the Indians, Glenn Maxwell’s gorgeous unbeaten 201 towards Afghanistan indicated on the magic and mayhem throughout the Australian changeroom. A superb seam assault and an efficient spinner in Adam Zampa, will pose a problem, which India has to sort out properly, whether it is to carry up the Cup for the third time.