 "‘Virat is the greatest chaser ever in this format’: Australia captain showers praise on Kohli and Rohit ahead of 1st ODI")
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said on Saturday that facing India, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli back in the squad, will be a great experience for his team. The three-match ODI series between the two sides is scheduled to begin in Perth on Sunday, October 19.
Speaking to reporters on the eve of the first match, Marsh praised India’s legendary players, calling Kohli the best chaser in ODI cricket. He also noted the strong fan interest in the series, saying ticket sales showed how eager people were to watch them in what could be their last time in Australia.
“Had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey. They’re obviously legends of the game, Virat is the greatest chaser ever in this format. I think you can see by the ticket sales that a lot of people want to come and watch them. To see the stadium packed out against India, it’s going to be a great experience for our group,” Marsh said.
Marsh expects high-scoring thrillers
The Australian skipper said he expects a high-scoring contest but believes the powerplay overs will be key. “I believe it’s going to be a high scoring affair, but getting through the first 10 overs for both teams will be a challenge and maybe where the game’s won and lost,” he added.
Australia will be without some of their key players for the first ODI, with Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, and Cameron Green unavailable. Marsh said Green’s injury is minor and the team is just being cautious. Matthew Short is likely to bat at No. 3, while Mitchell Owen and Matt Renshaw are in line for debuts.
“We know he opens for Victoria and Strikers and in T20 cricket around the world. But we see no difference opening the batting and No 3. We’re comfortable with him batting there,” he said.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Across the board in our white-ball teams over the last 12 month, we’ve seen a lot of guys get opportunities, so it always brings excitement to those guys. We just have to be really clear on their role and they will enjoy playing cricket for Australia,” he added.
Marsh has been handed the ODI captaincy in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, who has been ruled out due to an injury.
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