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Heading into the World Cup final in Ahmedabad as massive underdogs against India, Australia are looking to put the crowning glory on an era which is fast coming to an end.<\/p>\n
The Narendra Modi Stadium holds no fears for Pat Cummins\u2019 men, who have already beaten England there during this tournament and played out a Test draw at the ground earlier this year.<\/p>\n
There is always the suspicion in India that pitches will be rolled out to play to the home side\u2019s strengths, as the Australians found during their Test tour nine months ago.<\/p>\n
But, as well-travelled cricketers, they insist they will take it all in their stride.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess we\u2019ll find out when we get to Ahmedabad and see if it\u2019s a fresh wicket or an old wicket,\u201d said Mitchell Starc, who played a major role with ball and bat in helping Australia to a tense three-wicket semi-final victory over South Africa in Kolkata on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Josh Hazlewood, his equally damaging new-ball partner, was more philosophical.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Josh Hazlewood is adamant Australia will be ready for anything in Sunday\u2019s final.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s always expect the unexpected in India,\u201d Hazlewood said. \u201cWe\u2019re not surprised by anything here. Everyone in this team has been coming here for a long time through the IPL, through different series.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we get there [Ahmedabad], we\u2019ll see it [the pitch] and make a decision on what we do first. Whatever it is, we have to do it well.\u201d<\/p>\n Pitch speculation can often be like predicting the weather, with the cyclone forming on the Bay of Bengal not arriving, as feared, to wash out Australia\u2019s semi-final.<\/p>\n Likewise, the allegations India had their semi-final pitch in Mumbai changed to a used wicket because it favoured spinners came to nothing, with more than 700 runs scored in the home side\u2019s victory over New Zealand.<\/p>\n Mitchell Starc and captain Pat Cummins were at the crease when Australia booked their place in the decider.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n The opposite was true in Kolkata, where a pitch that hardly rated a mention in pre-match media discussions turned out to be one of the most challenging of the tournament.<\/p>\n South Africa chose to bat, as has been their successful modus operandi all tournament, only to find the pitch had sweated under the covers waiting for the non-appearing cyclone, aiding exceptional opening spells from Starc and Hazlewood.<\/p>\n Then the used, worn and weary surface took ever greater amounts of turn, which Hazlewood believes will be the ideal preparation for Australia\u2019s batsmen before they face India\u2019s spinners on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it was good in particular for probably the batters from [number] four down to seven or eight to have a hit on a wicket like that against quality spinners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s opponents on Sunday have three of the top eight bowlers at this World Cup.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s certainly great practice. You can\u2019t really replicate that in training. So it\u2019s good to have a left-arm wrist spinner as well as a left-arm off-spinner, so it mirrors that next game. I\u2019m sure the boys will be talking about a few plans over the next few days.\u201d<\/p>\n The like-for-like was uncanny, with South Africa\u2019s left-arm orthodox spinner Keshav Maharaj, now ranked the leading one-day bowler in the world, a carbon copy of India\u2019s Ravi Jadeja, and left-arm twirler Tabraiz Shamsi playing the same role as India\u2019s Kuldeep Yadav, the world\u2019s fifth-ranked one-day bowler.<\/p>\n India have three players in the top five one-day rankings, with opening bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj making the list, while Mohammed Shami is set to charge up the ladder from 12th place after his seven-wicket haul in Wednesday\u2019s semi-final against New Zealand. Shami is now the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup with 23, one more than Adam Zampa, who went wicketless against South Africa.<\/p>\n Zampa is currently third in the one-day bowling rankings, thanks in large part to his good form in this tournament, while Hazlewood is ranked sixth.<\/p>\n Equally imposing is the fact that India have three batsmen in the top five of the one-day rankings, with Shubman Gill on top, Virat Kohli at number four and captain Rohit Sharma fifth. Australia\u2019s only top-10 batsman is seventh-placed David Warner.<\/p>\n Kohli is also the runaway leader as the top run-scorer in the World Cup, with 711 at an average of 102, including three centuries. Rohit is fifth while Warner is sixth.<\/p>\n And, of course, India have three of the eight leading wicket-takers in this World Cup, led by Shami, whereas Australia have Zampa.<\/p>\n Watch the World Cup final live and free on Nine, 9Gem and 9Now.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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