India will travel the most during the ICC World Cup 2023 on home soil this October and November, covering nearly 10,000 kilometres (9,700 km to be exact), as they pursue their third ODI championship. India will travel to nine venues and face as many opponents. Following the release of the complete schedule, here is a look at India’s crucial matches in the competition.
India vs Australia on October 8 in Chennai
Two of the finest 50-over teams in the world square off in an important matchup as they look to get the tournament off to a fast start.
On October 8, when India plays its opening World Cup match against Australia, a five-time winner, all eyes will be on Chennai. Rohit Sharma’s team will have their job cut out for them.
There won’t be many shocks because the two teams will be familiar with one another, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see many runs scored in this match.
The tournament hosts’ World Cup campaign would get off to the best possible start with a victory in this match, but Australia will be determined to make a statement and demonstrate that they are competitive contenders to repeat their 1987 World Cup victory on Indian soil.
The MA Chidambaram Stadium is getting a huge overhaul ahead of the WC 2023. The stadium is the second-oldest in India. India hasn’t reached a total of 300 at the stadium yet, which indicates the kind of pitch they may anticipate.
Here, teams have typically opted to bat first because the game tends to slow down in the second innings.
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India vs Pakistan on October 15 in Ahmedabad
India and Pakistan games are always eagerly anticipated, and when they take place at a World Cup, the anticipation is only increased.
India has dominated this matchup, having won each of their seven meetings at 50-over World Cups.
It was Rohit Sharma who made the difference in the last 50-over showcase, as the current India captain scored a stunning 140 to lead his team to a convincing 89-run (DLS method) victory in Manchester.
In Ahmedabad, Rohit will be trying to repeat that performance, but Pakistan’s captain and No. 1 ODI hitter Babar Azam is sure to be just as motivated to win for his country.
Spinners will like bowling at Narendra Modi Stadium because of the wide outfield, although it’s unclear which pitch they would choose given the variety of options. India has favoured playing on black dirt fields at home since they have a low bounce and are sluggish.
World Cup 2023: India vs New Zealand on October 22 in Dharamshala
Given the circumstances, India may find this match challenging because the Black Caps may feel more at home. The scenic location, which is 1317m above sea level, has one of India’s fastest and springiest surfaces.
Therefore, it will be difficult to play the Kiwis, a team that India views as a pain in the flesh and who have a dangerous pace attack. HPCA Stadium is one of India’s newest grounds; only four ODIs have been place there thus far, and the hosts have won two of them.
Although the batsmen will have some relief from the afternoon start because of the clouds that will be there, the venue will always require the think tank to be adaptable with its strategies.
India vs England on October 29 in Lucknow: World Cup 2023
The UPCA has relaid the square at the Ekana Stadium after offering slow fields during the IPL. Ekana is another of the new venues, which hosts a high-profile match between the hosts and the defending champions England. The hosts have not yet participated in a full 50-over match.
Rain turned their lone ODI appearance against South Africa into a 40-over match, which they lost. India won’t know what to anticipate in terms of the weather, therefore. It is a major risk to relay a pitch this close to the World Cup, but it has been seen as necessary.
Three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) between Afghanistan and the West Indies were played there, and all three were low-scoring affairs in which the 250-point threshold was only crossed once. Due to the presence of black soil, spinners and slowing down the ball will be crucial.
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