MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai, is historically known to offer spin-friendly pitches, and it is expected to be no different as India and Australia lock horns in the series decider on Wednesday.
The series has been quite entertaining so far, with both India and Australia winning a match each. Fast bowlers were the wreckers in chief at both of the earlier venues, however, things will surely change at Chepauk, where tweakers are going to make the noise.
Australia posted a dominating win in the second ODI with openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head ripping apart India’s bowling attack and Mitchell Starc getting better off the hosts’ batters. But Chepauk will offer entirely different conditions. It doesn’t mean, however, that the visitors won’t enter the match with full confidence. A 10-wicket win against India in their den is never a short achievement.
The Australian team will come down on India with guns blazing, however, the Indian team will have a plan to counter their tactics too. Chepauk is a venue where Australian batters will be tested to the core. The way Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head batted or the way Mitchell Starc bowled in the last match might alter massively.
The ball doesn’t come nicely onto the bat, and it spins sharply; pacers rarely get any help. So, the plan will have to be different for both teams.
What changes to expect?
India played three spinners in the last game, and they might stick with that. One change that could come in though is a bit of variation in the spin bowling, meaning off-spinner Washington Sundar might get a look in place of either Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav. The rest of the team is likely to be the same. Suryakumar Yadav, despite his constant failures, would probably get another chance.
For Australia, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, who were out due to injuries, might return. They could also bring in spinner Ashton Agar in place of Nathan Ellis, given that Chepauk's pitch would be quite helpful to the spinners.
