World Cup Semifinal: Top Five Reasons Why India Can 'Stun' Aussies in Their Own Backyard
In what is expected to be a closely-fought battle, India can once again dump out Australia out of a World Cup. After their quarters win against the Aussies in the previous World Cup, the Men in Blue have shown even more determination to make it two-in-a-row.
Defending champions India are on a euphoric cricketing high. With seven back-to-back wins in World Cup 2015 so far, the Men in Blue have silenced skeptics, confounded critics and slammed habitual worriers out of the park. Momentum is on their side, so are the wishes and prayers of a billion fans but will all of that help them bring down four-time champions Australia in the semifinal? (Complete coverage of World Cup 2015)
In what promises to be a thrilling - and a nail-biting close-contest, MS Dhoni and his men can deliver the knockout punch en route to yet another World Cup final. Here's why:
(Related: Clarke wary of resurgent India)
5) MS Dhoni - an able general and a wily captain!
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MS Dhoni has repeatedly shown that he was born to lead the Indian team. He has a mind that just refuses to stop thinking cricket and that sets him apart from most fellow cricketers and contemporaries.
The Indian captain is a tireless man on the field - absorbing pressure like a sponge. Even under the pressure of expectations and in front of a grand Sydney Cricket Ground, he would hardly let the heat get to him.
The Aussies won't make his life any easy. They will hit, they may sledge but all of that are likely to bounce off the man behind the stumps. Yes, Rahul Dravid was the wall of Indian cricket for his batting but Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the wall which would guard his side against the fiery brand of cricket that Australia plays.
4) India's spin sensations - turning it round to daze oppositions!
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Indians play spin well. Aussies don't. There lies one wide gap that separates the two cricket teams.
When Ravichandran Ashwin combines with the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina, it is not just economical overs that follow but wickets too - resulting from the pressure. Little wonder then that Ashwin has helped himself to 12 wickets so far and Jadeja has managed to remove nine batsmen. In sharp contrast, Glenn Maxwell has had only five wickets through his part-time slow bowling. And while the Aussies do swear by their pace regiment - one which is brilliant without an iota of doubt, former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels the attack just isn't complete without an ace spinner.
"Playing in Sydney they will miss a good spinner," he said recently. "That could be the difference, because spinners have had a lot of success in Sydney. Our attack is not completely balanced though because I think they lack top class spinner." (Read more here)
3) Pairs are past, Indian batsmen hunt in threes!
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An early wicket will count for little as Indian batting line-up boasts of players who are not just talented and hungry for runs but are absolutely craving for more glory. Nothing can satiate their appetite on the field and Australia may well fall prey to their batting exploits.
While the entire batting is one powerful unit tailor-made to tame bowlers in ODIs, the focus would be on the top three - Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The three have 967 runs (103 fours and 16 sixes) between them. Just for perspective, the Aussie top-three of Aaron Finch, David Warner and Steve Smith have 728 runs between them - although to be fair, one of their league matches against Bangladesh was washed out.
India's main strength lies in the fact that even if one of the top three batsmen gets a century, it may ensure either a huge total or a commanding chase.
2) Boisterous Indian fans invade and take over Australia
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Australia may be the host team in Sydney but it won't surprise any if the local fans are outnumbered by the Bharat Army.
The Indians in Sydney - residents as well as tourists - are expected to come out in humungous numbers for the semifinal and their cheers will surely make home advantage swing India's way.
"It does not feel like we are playing Australia," Dhoni had said after one of the league matches. "I would like to thank our fans for backing us every time we step out. It feels absolutely great to perform for them."
1) Indian pace troika can tear Aussies apart
In the Australia vs Pakistan quarterfinal, Wahab Riaz bowled his heart out to leave the Aussies trembling. Although Shane Watson did manage to take his team through, he was forced to smell leather repeatedly - exposing the vulnerability of the hosts.
What Wahab did, Mohammad Shami can possibly do even better. (Can Indian pace leave Aussies battered and bruised?)
With 17 wickets from the tournament so far, Shami has established himself as one of the best. He is looking to finish as the highest wicket-taker and adding Aussie batsmen to his list of victims will go a long way. Combined with Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma as the first change, Shami can help India be ruthless against the hosts.