WC 2015 IND vs AUS: Five things Team India should do against Australia

Mumbai: It’s time for the best against the best. After Australia’s six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the quarterfinal, they’ve booked a berth in the semifinal against familiar foes – Team India.

Having outplayed them in the triangular series prior to the World Cup Down Under, the Kangaroos must be oozing with confidence but Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s boys seemed to have renovated their brand of cricket exclusively for the mega event. Here are the five things the Men in Blue should do to defeat the mighty Aussies in their own backyard.

Bouncers: Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz kept troubling the Aussies with the short ones. He tricked Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell and also dismissed Michael Clarke off a bouncer. Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami? Are you listening? On top of that, the Indian fielders haven’t dropped much catches in the tournament, contrary to what Pakistan did in Adelaide.

(Shane Watson, Photo: AP)

Virat Kohli factor: He is undoubtedly India’s best batsman but he fell cheaply to a drab Rubel Hossain delivery in the quarterfinal. With the Australians being his best friends, there’ll be lot of words exchanged in the middle but the angry young man of Team India should maintain his cool. Australians have won many encounters just by talking.

(Virat Kohli, Photo: AP)

Forget the past: If India start thinking about their poor show in the One Day series Down Under prior to the World Cup, it may affect them mentally. Even England fared better against them but look what happened to them in the World Cup. The fans like to believe that Dhoni was trying out new things in that series and he knew exactly what to do at the right time – the present.

(Mitchell Starc and Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the tri-series, Photo: AFP)

Rohit Sharma’s form: The right-handed opener – who hit a hundred against Bangladesh – could also turn out to be a key factor. When Rohit strikes form, he is unstoppable. He needs to give India a solid start, along with Shikhar Dhawan (who also impressed in the tournament so far with two centuries). Rohit’s first ODI double ton came against the Aussies too. Even in the tri-series, he had slammed a handsome 138 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. That’s quite a mental boost, isn’t it?

(Rohit Sharma, Photo: AP)

Fielding standards:  The Indians have been phenomenal on the field, with perfect catches and direct-hits. At this stage of the tournament, even a good fielding side can take the match away. The Suresh Rainas and the Ravindra Jadejas need to keep up the momentum.

(Shikhar Dhawan taking a catch along the boundary line against Bangladesh in the quarterfinal, Photo: AP)