IND vs AUS 2017: What would be India’s mission at Bengaluru against the Aussies?

India skipper Virat Kohli in a practice session. Image Source: XtraTime
India skipper Virat Kohli in a practice session. Image Source: XtraTime

Internet Desk: The Indian cricket team will be eyeing to get another win against the depleted Australians when they face each other in the fourth ODI in Bengaluru tomorrow. A win tomorrow will help them to get an inch closer to complete another whitewash, which they did in Sri Lanka earlier this month.

Virat Kohli & Co. has already bagged the series as they have already taken a 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series.

Skipper Kohli and veteran Mahendra Singh Dhoni have been in prime form and young Hardik Pandya’s blistering all-round form has added an x-factor to the side.

He scored a blistering 78, a few days after an attacking 66-ball 83, as the hosts comfortably chased a big total of 294 in the last game at Indore to take an unassailable 3-0 lead. Openers, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane played well too, as they scored half-centuries in a 131-run opening partnership.

If needed, India can also count on the likes of Kedar Jadhav and Manish Pandey to deliver the goods with the willow, though one of them could make the way for home boy KL Rahul on Thursday.

While batting has always been their strength, India continue to impress with the ball as well.

Seam bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have been troubling Australia’s top-order and cramped the others for room in the death overs.

The young wrist spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav caught the attention with their very impressive showings, and India never seem to have missed Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Yadav had bamboozled the Australian batsmen in Kolkata, where he picked up a hat-trick, and joined Kapil Dev and Chetan Sharma.

A very good thing about this Indian batting line-up is that each batsman has managed to contribute to the team’s cause when the chips were down. When the top-order failed in the series opener, the middle and lower-order guided the team to safety. Both, though, clicked in the third ODI.

Pandya has been hogging the limelight with his all-round ability and he will again be a threat to the opponents.

Going into the Ashes, Australia will desperately try to regain some momentum in the last two dead rubbers against India.

Though it looks difficult at the moment, they know that a form reversal is important ahead of the Ashes.

Australia have lost 11 ODIs in a row away from home, with the exception of two washouts, albeit with eight of those defeats coming against South Africa and India.

They’ve won five of their last 14 Tests with three of those wins a 3-0 clean sweep of Pakistan during the last Australian summer.

Australia will hope that skipper Steve Smith and opener David Warner fire in the remaining games.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who was taken to the cleaners by Pandya in Chennai before being dropped, is likely to replace Ashton Agar with the left-armer in Australia having his broken finger assessed by a specialist.

While part-time wicketkeeper Peter Handscomb failed in Indore, he should get another chance to prove he can replace Matthew Wade who was axed after a lean trot with the bat.

Australian pacers, especially Nathan Coulter-Nile, have been consistent with his nagging line and length. Pat Cummins has been a good foil for him.

There is a heavy chance of rainfall tomorrow, but the fans would be hoping for a bright sun shine tomorrow to see a great game of cricket.