IND vs AUS, World Cup 2023 Highlights: Rahul, Kohli guide India to 6-wicket win

India have defeated Australia by 6 wickets to get their 2023 World Cup campaign off to a winning start. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were the stars of the chase as India got to the 200-run target with 6 wickets and 52 balls in hand.

IND (201/6 in 41.2 overs) vs AUS (199)

KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya are now taking the attack to Australia. Following Pandya's six off Josh Hazlewood, Rahul smashed a six and a four off Glenn Maxwell. 

The required runs have now come down to single figures with 9 overs to spare.

IND (195/4 in 41 overs) vs AUS (199)

Virat Kohli has been dismissed by Josh Hazlewood after scoring a magnificent 116-ball 85. KL Rahul and Kohli stitched a 165-run stand to get India to a winning position in the game. The two formed India's biggest partnership against Australia in ODI World Cups.

IND (167/4 in 37.4 overs) vs AUS (199)

India are now just 33 runs away from victory! What a massive effort from both Virat Kohli and KL Rahul to steer India out of deep trouble and take the game by the scruff of its neck. Kohli is within touching distance of his 48th ODI hundred, while also edging closer to 100 boundaries in ODI World Cups.

IND (167/3 in 37 overs) vs AUS (199)

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are in the middle as 150 comes up for India. Kohli is chasing his 48th century and looks in complete control along with KL Rahul, who has been in mesmeric touch today.

India need another 50 runs to beat Australia and get their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign off to a winning start.

IND (150/3 in 34.4 overs) vs AUS

Starc delivers a short-pitched ball to Kohli, who goes for the big shot. The ball hits him on the side of the helmet. Starc quickly checks on Kohli to make sure he's okay, and Kohli signals that he's fine with a thumbs-up. Kohli, feeling confident after being well-set, chose to attack that delivery.
 

India have reached 139 for 3 in 33 overs. 61 more runs are needed. 

Virat Kohli has reached 71 and KL Rahul is 10 runs behind him.

Can Virat Kohli get to his 48th ODI hundred tonight?  He seems to be a bit more busy after getting to his fifty. This has been a sensational partnership between the two batters. 138 have been added for the 4th wicket. 

Starc bowls to Rahul, and he produces a beautiful shot! The ball is full and angled in, and Rahul elegantly leans into the drive, sending it through the gap between mid-off and cover with perfect timing and precision. It races to the boundary for a delightful four.

India are 132 for 3 in 32 overs, needing 68 runs in 18 overs to kickstart their World Cup 2023 campaign with a win.

Virat Kohli got to his fifty in 75 balls as the former captain took his time to steer India out of trouble. It was also the second time Virat Kohli scored a fifty in a chase in a World Cup match with his 66 against England in Birmingham coming in a losing cause in 2019.

MOST FIFTY-PLUS SCORES FOR INDIA IN WORLD CUPS

1. Sachin Tendulkar - 21 in 45 matches
2. Virat Kohli - 9 in 27 matches
3. Rohit Sharma - 9 in 18 matches
4. Mohammad Azharuddin - 8 in 30 matches
5. Rahul Dravid - 8 in 22 matches

A terrific effoft from KL Rahul. What a patch of form he is having since his return from injury for the Asia Cup. Rahul looked the more dominant partner in his 100-run partnership with Virat Kohli. The way he took down Adam Zampa was instrumental in setting the tone for India's chase after the horror start. 

LIVE SCORE: IND (108 for 3 in 27.3 ov), chasing 200 vs AUS

KL Rahul and Virat Kohli have brought up a 100-run partnership for the 3rd time in ODIs. This is a crucial one as It has helped India recover from their early jolts. 

It has come off 153 balls and these two have used all their experience to make sure India are back on track in the 200-run chase. 

What a knock fom the chase master. Virat Kohli has gotten to his 67th ODI fifty. It's his 9th fifty-plus score in a World Cup match. And he has gotten there in 75 balls.  A solid knock after India were reeling at 2 for 3. 

India have also gone past the 100-run mark. A terrific partnership this between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. 

The official attendance at Chepauk is 32531. The official capacity of the MA Chidambaram Stadium is 38,000.

The reception from the crowd so far in this World Cup has been ordinary. Keep in mind, the tickets were sold out on the official ticketing website. 

KL Rahul and Virat Kohli have done exceptionally well to attack Australia's lead spinner, Adam Zampa. KL Rahul, especially, as the star batter was cutting the leg-spinner with ease in his first over, putting the pressure right back on him. A terrific effort from the India No. 5 who seems to be in fine touch ever since his comeback in the Asia Cup. 

Adam Zampa's figures so far: 3 overs, 23 runs, 0 wickets. No game-changer! 

Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa has leaked 13 runs in the first over and 7 runs in the second over as both KL Rahul and Virat Kohli are looking happy to knock it around. India have reached the 80-run mark in the 20th over.

Adam Zampa was supposed to be Australia's main weapon against Indian batters but KL Rahul had other plans. Rahul took the attack to Zampa, playing three quality shots for three boundaries and collecting 13 runs off the Australian leg-spinner. Both Rahul and Kohli are now shifting gears. 

Zampa delivers a googly to Rahul, who responds with a fantastic shot! The ball skids onto the off stump, and had Rahul been the slightest bit late, his off stump would have been in jeopardy. However, he executes a flawless late cut, guiding the ball expertly behind square for a boundary.
 

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have forged 50-plus runs for the fourth wicket to help India recover after a horror start in the 200 chase. Kohli and Rahul have successfully contributed to stabilizing the innings, although Kohli appears a bit anxious. Australia are demonstrating its bowling prowess consistently. The next half hour of play promises to be intriguing and may significantly influence the outcome of the match.
 

FOUR, FOUR! Virat Kohli breaks the shackles with back-to-back boundaries off Cameron Green. Just when the pressure was building, Green errs in line and Kohli is all class as he guides both the deliveries between mid-wicket and mid-on for boundaries.

INDIA (49/3 in 15 overs) chasing 200 vs Australia (199)

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are looking to rebuild India's innings after the star trio of Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer departed without scoring a single run in the 200-run chase. Meanwhile, India have managed to score only 27 runs in the first 10 overs.

DROPPED! Mitchell Marsh has dropped Virat Kohli! That might prove to be a costly miss... By Australian standards, it was a relatively simple catch. Hazlewood caught Kohli off guard with a well-executed short delivery, causing VK to top-edge it. The ball landed in the gap between Marsh, who was charging in from mid-wicket, and the wicketkeeper. Marsh did manage to get to the ball, but there was a momentary hesitation as the keeper was also closing in. Unfortunately, Marsh couldn't hold on to it.
 

Hazlewood bowls to Kohli, and it's a FOUR, an absolutely glorious shot! This is the trademark of a batsman who understands how to shift the pressure back onto the opposition. Anticipating a similar delivery, Kohli elegantly shifts his position, advances down the pitch, and executes a flawless straight drive, textbook-perfect.
 

India wicketkeeper KL Rahul breaks the boundary drought!  Hazlewood bowls to Rahul, and it's a confident shot resulting in a FOUR! A rare moment of Indian batsmanship shining through. Hazlewood offers an overpitched delivery this time, right within Rahul's reach. He elegantly executes the drive, not with excessive power but by guiding the ball into the gap on the left side of the covers.

With Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan falling without troubling the scoreboard, this marks just the second instance in which both Indian openers have been dismissed for a duck in a World Cup match. The first occurrence took place during the 1983 Cricket World Cup against Zimbabwe.
 

Starc delivers to Kohli, and it's a flick off the pads, sending the ball behind square for a speedy two runs. The crowd erupts in excitement, making it sound like a massive six has been hit! Mind you, Virat Kohli is the first Indian batter to get off the mark in this World Cup match against Australia.

Ishan Kishan was dismissed for a golden duck on his World Cup debut after a horrible shot against Mitchell Starc, while Josh Hazlewood removed Rohit Sharma for a 6-ball duck as India slipped to 2 for 2 in the 2nd over of the innings in their chase of 200. In the same over, Shreyas Iyer also fell without troubling the scorers as Hazelwood rocked the Indian top-order. 

It was a nightmarish start from India, the hosts and one of the hot favourites in this World Cup. India had earlier put Australia under severe pressure thanks to their spin trio of Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav, who picked 6 wickets in 30 overs between them. Jasprit Bumrah also had a terrific day, taking 2 wickets in his 10 overs.

ROHIT DEPARTS FOR DUCK! Hazlewood delivers a massive blow as he dismisses Rohit with a lethal inswinger. The ball, similar to Hardik Pandya's delivery to Babar Azam, cuts sharply after pitching, leaving Rohit with no choice but to depart for a duck, making it 0 runs from 6 balls for him.

OUT! Starc bowls to Ishan Kishan, and he's caught by Green! It's a disappointing beginning to the World Cup for Ishan Kishan. This was a significant chance for him to showcase his skills, but he departs without opening his account. India have lost their first wicket in the first over, just the start Australia wanted.

India openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan are out at the crease. Rohit is the one facing the bowler, and it's Mitchell Starc who will be delivering the opening over. Can India chase down the 200-run target to kick start their World Cup 2023 campaign with a win?

India started the game on the front foot with Jasprit Bumrah getting rid of the dangerous Mitchell Marsh in the third over itself. Veteran batters David Warner and Steve Smith stitched a 69-run stand to bring the Aussie back in the game. The partnership also saw Warner become the fastest batter to score 1,000 runs in the ODI World Cup.

However, Kuldeep Yadav provided India with the all-important wicket of Warner, after scoring 41 runs off 52 balls. Steve Smith also missed out on his half-century as Ravindra Jadeja cleaned him up in the 28^th over. Jadeja piled further misery on the Aussies, dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey in the same over.

Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green were looking to form a cautious partnership in the middle overs but Kuldeep struck once more to clean up Maxwell, with Ravichandran Ahswin joining the party to send Cameron Green back to the pavilion, leaving Australia reeling at 140 for 7 after 36.2 overs.

India’s spin department was fabulous on the day, claiming 6 wickets and giving away just 104 runs in 30 overs.

However, Australia did a good job to drag their total close to the 200-run mark with Mitchell Starc playing a crucial knock of 28 runs off 35 balls.

Mitchell Starc c Shreyas Iyer b Mohammed Siraj 28(35)

AUS (199 all out) vs IND

Australia have lost their 9th wicket as Hardik Pandya strikes to claim his first wicket of the day. Adam Zampa tried to smash Pandya over mid-off but ended up scuffing the shot straight at Virat Kohli, who hangs on to a regulation catch.

Adam Zampa c Virat Kohli b Hardik Pandya 6(20)

AUS  (189/9 in 48.2 overs)

Australia are aiming to cross the 200-run mark with Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa in the middle. Starc freed his arms and smashed Jasprit Bumrah for an 82-meter six over deep backward square leg to release some pressure.

Bumrah has also ended his quota of 10 overs, claiming 2 wickets while leaking just 35 runs.

AUS (183/8 in 47 overs)

Ravindra Jadeja has ended his quota of 10 overs, finishing with 3 wickets while giving away 28 runs. He also bowled 2 maiden overs and kept the Australian batters in check throughout his spell. Jadeja picked the important wickets of Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey to break Australia's back in the middle overs.

He has now become the third-highest wicket-taker for India against Australia in ODIs with 37 scalps to his name, only behind Mohammed Shami (38) and Kapil Dev (45)

AUS (168/8 in 44 overs)

Jasprit Bumrah has struck once again in the second over on his second spell. Australia captain Pat Cummins tried to smash Bumrah over mid-on but ended by finding Shreyas Iyer, who held on to a brilliant forward diving catch to send the Aussie captain back to the pavilion. 

Pat Cummins c Shreyas Iyer b Jasprit Bumrah 15(24)

AUS (165/8 in 42.2 overs)

Australia captain Pat Cummins has hit the first six of the Australian innings. Cummins got on his back-foot to smash Kuldeep Yadav for a maximum over mid-wicket. 2 balls later, luck favored him as an edge slipped between KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to roll away for a much-needed boundary. 11 runs off Kuldeep's over will release a bit of pressure on the Australians. 

AUS (156/7 in 40 overs)

Ravichandran Ashwin has joined the party at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai, picking his first wicket of the day. Cameron Green attempted to cut a short, wide ball but ended up picking Hardik Pandya at backward point. It wasn't a particularly impressive delivery from Ashwin, bowling a flat good length ball, pitched outside off which Green smashed right at a grateful Pandya.

Mitchell Starc and skipper Pat Cummins are out in the middle for the Aussies following two quick dismissals.

Cameron Green c Hardik Pandya b R Ashwin 8(20)

AUS (140/7 in 36.2)

India spinner Kuldeep Yadav has cleaned up the dangerous Glenn Maxwell to pile the pressure on the Australians. Kuldeep spun the ball a long way to break Maxwell's leg stump, leaving the all-rounder flabergasted. Maxwell tried to play it off the back-foot but got completely fooled by the spin.

Glenn Maxwell b Kuldeep Yadav 15(25)

AUS (140/6 in 35.5 overs)

Indian spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have kept it tight in the middle, not giving Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green any chance to free their arms. Australia will be looking to consolidate in the coming 5 overs to make use of the field restrictions in the powerplay.

AUS (138/5 in 35 overs)

Glenn Maxwell breaks the shackles and hits the first boundary for Australia after 73 balls. India have kept the pressure on the Australians in this crucial middle phase of the innings. Ravindra Jadeja has been on the money, claiming 3 big wickets. Maxwell and Cameron Green will now be looking to rebuild Australia's innings if they are to post a competitive total on the board. 

AUS (130/5 in 32 overs)

Ravindra Jadeja hasn't had the best of time in ODIs but he has played a lot of cricket at the Chepauk for India and Chennai Super Kings. On Sunday, in India's World Cup opener against Australia, Jadeja snapped up Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in back-to-back overs to leave the five-time world champions reeling. 

Australia had a foot in the door thanks to a solid partnership between Smith and Labuschagne but Jadeja brought India firmly back in the game with the two big wickets. 

Marnus Labuschagne c KL Rahul b Ravindra Jadeja 27(41)

He then went on to get rid of wicket-keeping batter Alex Carey 2 balls later to pile the pressure on Australia.

Australia do bat deep but India have the services of three ace spinners while Bumrah and Siraj have 9 overs left between the two of them. An interesting phase in the Australian innings now. Cameron Green joins the hard-hitting Glenn Maxwell in the middle.

Alex Carey lbw b Ravindra Jadeja 0(2)

AUS (119/5 in 29.4 overs)

HUGE wicket for India. Steve Smith was looking dangerous; he wasn't even overtly aggressive with the pitching aiding some turn but the Australian No.3 was playing the anchor's role to perfection. However, he was completely outfoxed by Ravindra Jadeja who beat Smith with turn and bounce. It was the perfect left-arm spinner's dismissal of a right-handed batsman. You look at the replays and you would be reminded of how Jadeja has troubled Australia in Test cricket with THAT line. 

Australia will now look to rebuild. Glenn Maxwell has joined Marnus Labuschagne in the middle. How many can Australia get from here?

Steve Smith b Ravindra Jadeja 46(71)

AUS (112/3 in 28 overs)

It's been 45 balls since the last boundary for Australia. Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj have kept the pressure on the Australians, and have been aided by some brilliant performances in the field.

AUS (110/2 in 27 overs)

100 comes up for Australia with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne in the middle. Following David Warner's dismissal at the hands of Kuldeep Yadav, Smith and Labuschgane are looking to build a partnership and turn the game's tide. India, on the other hand, have kept things tight and have the Australians where they want them.

AUS (100/2 in 24.1 overs)

India have brought Mohammed Siraj back in the attack after 11 overs of spin. The right-arm pacer tested Steve Smith with some short bowling but the former Australia skipper stood strong. This partnership between Smith and Marnus Labuschagne is slowly building up and is now worth 19 runs.

AUS (93/2 in 23 overs)

Chennai, as expected, put on a show for India's World Cup opener. Fans, some of them wearing MS Dhoni shirts, filled the stadium and the mood outside the MA Chidambaram Stadium was electric despite it being a hot Sunday afternoon. 

India have now deployed all their three spinners against Australia in their World Cup opener. After 6 overs of off-spin from R Ashwin and 4 overs of left-arm chinaman from Kuldeep Yadav, who dismissed David Warner for 41, Rohit Sharma brought Ravindra Jadeja into the attack. Jadeja conceded 8 runs in his first over; he will be expected to play a key role on a pitch which is slow and will aid the spinners as the match progresses.

India are not letting Australia get back in rhythm following David Warner's dismissal. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin have kept things tight in the last 3 overs. The Aussies have managed to score just 3 runs in the last 15 balls and are looking to survive this difficult phase of play.

AUS (77/2 in 19 overs)

Kudeep Yadav has broken the partnership by getting rid of David Warner, who was on course to score his 32nd half-century. The left-handed batter tried to smash a full-length delivery over Kuldeep but ended up hitting it straight at him.

David Warner c and b Kuldeep Yadav 41(52)

AUS (74/2 in 16.3 overs)

Warner and Smith are looking comfortable in the middle. They're looking for a boundary per over and not playing risky shots.

AUS (71/1 in 15 overs)

Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin have curbed the flow of runs in the last couple of overs. However, Warner and Smith are still rotating the strike well to keep the scoreboard ticking.

AUS (66/1 in 14 overs)

Australia have brought up 50 runs in the 11th over of the match. Both batters are taking on Hardik Pandya, who returned after a short break away from the field at the moment with Ashwin bowling from the other end.

AUS (51/1 in 10.4 overs) vs IND

R Ashwin was introduced in the bowling attack and he immediately showed why India will trouble a lot of teams with their spin throughout this tournament. He got turn and bounce and Steve Smith even managed a wry smile, perhaps recollecting how often Ashwin and Jadeja have created havoc for Australia. 

Hardik Pandya walked off the field to tend to an injury but India would hope he returns soon - a class all-rounder, Hardik gives plenty of balance to the Indian side. 

Meanwhile, keep an eye on Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep today. They could be India's trump cards on a pitch which is far from a belter.

AUS (36/1 in 9 overs) vs India

Hardik Pandya has walked off the field after getting hit on his bowling hand by David Warner. India have brought in R Ashwin in the 8th over of the match as the second change.

After a short break, the play resumes at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Hardik looks fine and does not seem to be in physical discomfort. He, however, sprays one down the leg side and Warner slaps him aerially through the fine-leg boundary.

AUS (29/1 in 6.4 overs) vs IND.

Hardik Pandya was brought on as first change after three overs apiece from Bumrah and Siraj. It's extremely hot in Chennai and Rohit Sharma would want to keep his pacers fresh. India have six bowling options including three spinners: R Ashwin, R Jadeja and K Yadav.

David Warner, who was tied down by tight lines from Bumrah and Siraj, went on the offensive off Hardik's second ball, smashing a fullish ball down the ground for a FOUR! Seconds later, the Indian physio rushed into the field to tend to Hardik who had just managed to get his fingertips to the ball which was struck powerfully by Warner.

Australia opener David Warner has broken Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers' record. Warner now is the fastest to 1000 runs in the ODI World Cup. Warner reaches his feat with a boundary in 19 innings.

AUS (20/1 in 6.2 overs) vs IND

Very early in their campaign, Australia will rely on the experience of David Warner and Steve Smith to pull them out of a spot of bother. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed the in-form Mitchell Marsh for a duck while Mohammed Siraj, the No.1 ODI bowler, has been nearly impossible to get away. Warner and Smith are two of Australia's most prolific run-scorers, joined forces as early as the third over after Bumrah picked the first wicket. 

India and Australia are the fiercest rivals in world cricket. In 2003, Australia had won both their World Cup matches including the final against India but in 2011, India knocked Australia out with a superb win in the quarterfinals. Australia had their revenge with a convincing victory in the 2015 World Cup semifinal; four years later, the Aussies were no match for a dominant Indian side. 

Who will take the early honours here? Keep a close eye on this space as we bring you the latest from Chennai.

India pacers have kept a tight lid on scoring against Steve Smith and David Warner. India have bowled tight lines and have not let anything slip in the field.

AUS (16/1 in 5.4 overs) vs IND

India's pacers have been on fire after Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to bat first. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj kept the heat on David Warner and Mitchell Marsh in front of packed stands at the Chepauk. 

Bumrah posed some difficult questions for the Aussie openers before forcing an edge off Marsh as Virat Kohli took a brilliant catch in the slip cordon. India have one of the most dangerous bowling line-ups in the World Cup; Bumrah and Siraj have been in top form leading up to the tournament and the addition of R Ashwin to the bowling attack will make matters a lot more complicated for India's opponents this World Cup.

AUS (11/1 in 4 overs) vs IND

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah picks India's first wicket in the ODI World Cup 2023. Mitchell Marsh gets out for a duck in Australia's first match of the tournament.

Short of the length delivery, takes the outside edge of the bat and flies into the slip. Virat Kohli dives to his left and picks up a stunning catch.

AUS (5/1 in 2.2 overs) vs IND

Australia got the first boundary of the match in the very first ball of the second over. Mohammed Siraj after getting hit for a boundary in the first ball made a strong comeback and kept Warner in his crease.

IND vs AUS (5/0 in 2 overs) vs India

Australia are off to a watchful start in the first over. Jasprit Bumrah has bowled well in the first over and concedes just 1 run. 

AUS (1/0 in 1 over) vs IND

Both teams are without some big names as India don't have Gill, Suryakumar, Shami and Shardul. Australia will be without Travis Head, Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis.

Australia have won the toss and opted to bat first vs India.

"Could be two-paced, little bit on the slower side. Fast bowling won't be easy either, especially back of the length," Ravi Shastri says according to Cricinfo. "India will be tempted to play three spinners. Won't be surprised even if Australia play atleast two."

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah speaks to the broadcaster ahead of the match.

Bumrah says that his body is feeling good since he started playing late in August. He feels fresh and relaxed coming into this game. 

Asked about the warm-up wash-outs ahead of the ODI World Cup, Bumrah said that it was good for India because they had played a lot of cricket running up to the ODI World Cup 2023.

If you have missed the build-up for India and Australia, click here to read the full preview of the match by Akshay Ramesh.

It looks bright and sunny at Chennai at the moment and it is unlikely there will be any delay. However, locals have confirmed to India Today that it has been raining in Chennai in the evening hours over the past few days, and we are yet to see if that turns out to be true.

The latest and the big update is that Shubman Gill has not travelled with the Indian team, the official broadcasters have confirmed. Ishan Kishan is set to be the frontrunner to open the innings with Rohit Sharma.

We are yet to see how the pitch plays out in Chennai. In the last match at Delhi, which usually is not an easy wicket to bat on - SA smashed a record World Cup total. Could that be the case in Chennai as well?

Action is less that 2 hours away.

You can check more details about Fraser-McGurk's record here.

AB de Villiers' 8-year-old record of fastest century in the List A cricket has been broken by a 21-year-old Australian kid.

Jake Fraser-McGurk has smashed a 100 in just 29 balls in the Marsh Cup (Australia's domestic one day tournament)

On Saturday, 7 October, South Africa's Aiden Markram smashed the fastest century in the ODI World Cup, off just 49 balls. This propelled SA to the highest ever total in the ODI World Cup, a massive 428/5 in 50 overs.

Zaheer Khan thinks so.

"I've been saying that Shami, Bumrah, and Siraj are going to form a very formidable attack if you want to be aggressive. So you know, there are opponents which you will play against where, uh, you know that, uh, you have to take wickets to set the tone. And I think if you want to be aggressive as a tactical move, then this attack should be there," Zaheer said in an interview with India Today.

Shubman Gill might not be a sure shot starter for the opener against Australia, but former pacer Zaheer Khan thinks that the batter will be India's highest scorer in this ODI World Cup.

Click here to read more.

It seems like the weather is bright and sunny at the moment around Chepauk. Twitter user Pavan Kumar Allada has shared a video showing that there is nothing to worry at the moment.

On a more personal front, Rohit Sharma will be captaining India in the ODI World Cup for the first time. Snubbed for the 2011 edition of the tournament in India, this could be the veteran's tournament to shine. 

Former India head coach Sanjay Bangar feels that Sharma would elevate his performance as the India captain.

Click here to read more about it. 

For many, India will start the tournament as favourites. With the home teams lifting the trophy in the last three editions of the tournament, the focus will be magnified on all India matches.

"When India are playing at home, we know how much expectation there is but the team must try and play the situation. We won the World Cup here in 2011, Australia won in Australia in 2015 and England won on home soil four years ago. There is a very good opportunity here for India to win the World Cup in front of their own fans and I am confident they can do it," Raina said on India Today.

Click here to read more.

India will be playing their first match of the ODI World Cup on Sunday, 8 October against Australia. The Rohit Sharma side will hope for a strong performance at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.