India v Australia World Cup 2015 Semifinal: A 50-50 Bet?

Seven games. Seven wins. Seven opposition teams bowled out. It would be fair to say that the unstoppable Indian juggernaut has surprised even the staunchest of Indian cricket fans. From their opening match versus Pakistan to their quarterfinal rout of Bangladesh, not one opposition team has managed to really push the Men in Blue. (India's Recent Record Won't Matter in the World Cup Semis)

Just take a look at the win margins in the 7 matches they have played so far - 76 runs, 130 runs, 9 wickets, 4 wickets, 8 wickets, 6 wickets and 109 runs. The only team that gave Dhoni and company something to worry about was the West Indies, but even that encounter was won with as many as 65 deliveries remaining. Now think about Australia's win margins in the 5 games they have won - 111 runs, 275 runs, 64 runs, 7 wickets, 6 wickets. See the trend? The second semifinal will be a clash of two very good and in-form teams (as it should be) and this could well be the toughest opposition India have faced so far. (Australia Lack a World Class Spinner)

Australia could in fact be the team that takes a match vs India right down to the wire. Glenn Maxwell has already thrown down the gauntlet, saying, "I think we targetted them pretty well during the summer. I don't think they won a game against us all summer. Hopefully we can make the most of that and hopefully that's pretty clear in their memories. We have been dominant all summer in ODIs so hopefully we can continue that while playing in Australia." (Have to Bat Better Against India, Says Michael Clarke)

The ODI tri-series Down Under is now a distant memory. The Aussies of course would like to use that history to clinch a psychological edge, but Dhoni and company will not really have those memories at the back of their minds. NDTV World Cup expert and former Australian captain Ian Chappell has echoed that sentiment, saying, "I don't think what happened in the tri-series even matters now because this is a totally different Indian team."

There's no denying the fact that Dhoni and his boys are playing like a possessed bunch of cricketers. Every batsman and every bowler knows his exact role. The fielding has been top class and there are hardly any chinks in their armour the opposition can target. Maxwell, who always relishes a challenge in fact has admitted, "They are a very good side. They wouldn't be in the semifinals if they weren't a good side. We will have to bring our A game against them."

Australia look unstoppable on home soil

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That though is exactly what India need to be wary of. An Australian team, when in top form, knows exactly what it means to hunt in packs. They can sense the opposition's weakness and go for the jugular like very few other units. They bat down to number 8 if James Faulkner is in the side, have fast bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and their spearhead Mitchell Johnson who can trouble the best in the business and can save at least 20-30 runs with their fielding on a good day. Add to that the firepower they pack in terms of big hitters. If Warner flops, Finch takes over. If Finch fails, there's Smith, or Maxwell, or Faulkner. Needless to say, the Indian bowlers will have their task cut out. Chappell though has backed the Indian bowling, saying, "He's (Dhoni) got the bowlers thinking about taking wickets and when bowlers think about taking wickets rather than how can I stop this guy making runs, that's a whole different ball game."

So how are the teams stacking up in the different departments? In the batting department, Australia have 2 batsmen in the top 20 run getters' list, while India have 4. Interestingly, the stats show that the Indian bowlers are doing better than the Aussies as well. There are just 2 Aussie bowlers in the top 20 wicket takers of the tournament so far. India has 4. So do the Aussies really have an edge over India?

Maxwell has issued a warning, saying, "I'm sure we will have a few cards up our sleeves come game day", but the Aussie art of sledging and mind games is something India are all too familiar with. In fact, the venue where they will play the home team might also tilt the scales in India's favour. Chappell, in fact has said, "This is the best venue for India to play Australia. The SCG always turns a little bit. R Ashwin is bowling very well at the moment and I have got this match down now as a 50-50 bet."

Australia have beaten India 7 times and lost only thrice in World Cups. But history will not have a big role to play in this encounter. The Aussies have had a good summer, India have emerged as a rejuvenated ODI team. India ended Australia's 12 year reign as world champions, when they knocked them out in the 2011 quarterfinals and the Men in Yellow would like nothing better than to return the favour. A 50-50 bet? Chappell seems to be spot on.