Australia Will Miss Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc vs India: Sunil Gavaskar

Mitchell Starc's ODI record in 2015: 18 matches, 41 wickets, Average: 16:26 with two five-wicket hauls. Mitchell Johnson's record in 2015: Nine games, 18 wickets, Average 19.61. Starc is out with a stress fracture while Johnson has announced his retirement from cricket. The absence of the two Mitchells will be a telling blow for Australia and former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that this will be a big advantage for India. (A Mix of Youth and Experience, Can India's Pace Battery Fire Versus Australia?)
 
Speaking to NDTV on Monday, Gavaskar said, "A lot of the personnel who won the World Cup in 2015 are not there. Australia will really miss the services of Johnson and Starc, who were a vital part of the team." (Australia vs India: Hosts Face Acid Test With Depleted ODI Squad)
 
Johnson and Starc's absence in the series opener at the WACA in Perth, will make Australia's job harder. In 13 ODI games at the WACA, Johnson picked up 22 wickets at an average of 23.42 while Starc has mind-boggling numbers, picking up 14 wickets in five games at an average of 11.42. (Can Mahendra Singh Dhoni Salvage Pride Down Under for One Last Time?)
 
The ability of the two left-armers to exploit the Fremantle Doctor wind sweeping across the WACA made them a potent threat.
 

Barinder Sran impressed in the two warm-up games against Western Australia and is all set to make his debut in Perth.

© AFP

'Barinder Sran's left-arm pace can be an advantage'
 
However, Gasvaskar believes that left-am pace could play a role in Perth, considering the advantages of the wind. Punjab left-arm pacer Barinder Sran's inclusion for the Perth ODI could help Mahendra Singh Dhoni immensely.
 
"The left-arm angle will help in Perth. The Fremantle Doctor helps the left-handers and if they can use it cleverly, and if Sran can use it, he will be an advantage," Gavaskar said.
 
Sran was impressive in the two warm-up games against Western Australia on Saturday and Sunday. In the Twenty20 game, he bowled with good pace and control to finish with impressive figures of 4-0-24-2.
 
In the one-day warm-up, he did not pick up any wickets but bowled with discipline to end with figures of 7-1-22-0. He is been in good form heading into the Australian tour, picking up 14 wickets in six games in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy.
 
Gavaskar said that it was important for India to start well if they had to win the series in Australia. A series win for India will propel them to the top of the ODI rankings