Ruthless India start favorites against Australia in ODI series

Chennai: A ruthless and buoyed India, fresh from its whitewash of Sri Lanka (where it won nine matches--three tests, five ODIs and one T20), would certainly start as favourite when it takes on Australia in the first ODI at the historic M A Chidambaram stadium here tomorrow.
Though the Aussies might be a tough proposition when compared to the Lankans, going by the form in which the Indian batsmen and the bowlers were, the visitors faces a tough job on hand, as a run fest was expected on the morrow.

With the possible threat of rain, Aussie skipper Steve Smith has deferred announcing the final XI to the toss, while India, despite the absence of prolific opener Shikar Dhawan, who has taken a break to be with his ailing wife, was expected to field Ajinkhya Rahane as the opening partner with red hot Rohit Sharma, who had a great series in Sri Lanka, scoring 302 runs with two centuries and a 50.It may be noted that Rohit feasted on the Aussie attack with a double hundred during the last series in 2013.

Skipper Virat Kohli would at No.3 and Rohit had already hinted that Karnataka batsman K L Rahul would bat at No four.It would be toss up between Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav for the number five slot, though it was widely believed that the latter would fill in considering his utility as an off spinner. (UNI)