By Mahim Gupta
New Delhi: India are taking on Australia in a five-match ODI series which kicks off in Chennai on Sunday. Several experts have already predicted that it will be an easy series for India. VVS Laxman for example said that India will win 4-1.
But one should remember that Australia are reigning world cup champions and unlike Test cricket, play superbly in ODIs in all conditions. Here is how they have played in India in the ODIs in the last decade.
2007/08: Australia won the seven-match series 4-2. This series was played soon after India won the inaugural T20 world cup. But Australia were three-time reigning ODI world champions back then.
Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchirst were still at the helm as the Green and Gold brigade won comfortably.
2009/10: Australia won the seven-match series 4-2. Australia’s hold as the dominant team in world cricket had well and truly started loosening then.
But they were still a gun ODI side and won tournaments like the world cups and champions trophies on a regular basis (they were three-time reigning world champions and two-time reigning Champions Trophy winners back then). It was not a surprise to see them win here.
2010/11: India won the three-match series 1-0. Rain played the spoilsport as only one of the three matches could be completed giving the visitors no chance to even square the score line.
2013/14: India won the seven-match series 3-2. It was a one-of-a-kind series played on really flat decks where runs were scored for fun as Australia gave India a good fight but did not quite win in the end.
