Ind vs Aus 2nd ODI - India Look for Yuvi Boost Against Aussies

Nagpur: Bolstered by the return of dashing Yuvraj Singh, India would look wrest the initiative when they go into the second cricket One-dayer against Australia on Wednesday with the visitors being hit hard by injuries two three key players.

The home team sorely missed left-handed Yuvraj's explosive batting in the middle overs as well as his left-arm slow bowling since he was forced out of cricket after sustaining a finger injury in South Africa before the Champions Trophy.

The hosts will also seek to exploit the injury-induced absence of Australian pacers Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson as well as all-rounder James Hopes who have been ruled out of the day-night encounter.

Down 0-1 in the seven-match rubber following their narrow four-run defeat in Vadodara on Sunday, the hosts would be keen to put an end to their inconsistent run in the 50-over format since their short tour of the West Indies in June-July.

The home team were outplayed by Australia in Vadodara but with the visitors' pace department severely depleted due to unavailability of Lee and Johnson, besides all-rounder Hopes, due to injuries, Dhoni's men will be fancying their chances.

But for that to happen, the Indian top-order batting, that failed to click in Vadodara, needs to buck up while their bowlers, especially off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, will have to improve a lot.

With a strike rate of close to 90, Yuvraj, whose last ODI innings was 56 not out off 41 balls against Sri Lanka, provides the major thrust in the middle overs when the ball becomes a bit soft and, with him back, the Indian batting wears a much different look.

He's expected to come into the side at the expense of either Suresh Raina, who flopped with the bat at Vadodara, or Ravindra Jadeja, who bowled very well in the first ODI but failed with the bat.

On the plus side for the home team in bowling was the performance of Ishant Sharma who, after a couple of nervous overs, settled down to show the rhythm with which be burst on the international scene spectacularly in 2007-08.

Australia, on the other hand, are a severely depleted side with three players ruled out. Moises Henriques has been named as reserve as cover for James Hopes whose injury is more serious than those of Lee (mild right elbow strain) and Johnson (left ankle inversion strain).

The visitors have come for the series without Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Nathan Bracken and the latest injuries to other key players have only added to their difficulties.

However, they would be encouraged by the tight bowling of Nathan Hauritz in Vadodara which was a big plus for the visitors who would be hoping for a repeat show from the off spinner here.

Captain Ricky Ponting, who made 74 in his well-known fashion, and vice captain Michael Hussey, who was there till close to the end of the innings making a superb 73 that won him the man of the match award, especially looked good.

Team news

India: The availability of Yuvraj, who missed the first ODI, would enormously lift India's hopes of restoring parity as he is capable of scoring at a fast clip that will ease the burden on the other middle order batsmen, especially Dhoni. India may dropped Virat Kohli or Ravinder Jadeja.

Squad (likely): MS Dhoni (captain & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli/Ravinder Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma.

Australia: Opener Shaun Marsh or rookie Jon Holland are in the running for Hopes replacement. They will have to test their bench strength on Wednesday as Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger, who represented Victoria in the Champions League Twenty20, are certain to be called up.

Squad (likely): Ricky Ponting (captain), Tim Paine (wk), Shane Watson, Adam Voges, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Shaun Marsh/Jon Holland, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle.

Stats and trivia

• MS Dhoni has the best average for anyone who's played atleast 10 matches in 2009. Dhoni's scored 768 runs in 21 matches at an average of nearly 70.
• Ricky Ponting is the highest run-scorer in ODIs in 2009, having scored 1005 runs in 24 matches with two centuries and seven fifties. Michael Hussey is third with 926 at an average of 42.
• Mitchell Johnson is the leading wicket-taker in 2009, with 39 wickets in 26 matches at an average of nearly 30 apiece.
• Shane Watson has the distinction of having scored the most hundreds and ducks in 2009. He's scored three centuries to date, and also been dismissed for duck four times.

Match fact
Wednesday October 28, 2009 (day/night)
Start time 14:30 local, 09:00 GMT, 20:00 Sydney

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