India-Australia combined XI

The limited overs cricket in 2016 is all set to kick off as India are touring down under to face the World Champions Australia in five ODIs and 3 T20I series. The stakes for this series is high as both the teams will start their preparation for the 2016 Word T20, which will take place in India in March.Both teams have a lot of inexperienced players in their side and this series could be a platform for them to get their career started. With the likes of David Warner, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Steven Smith, both teams also have plenty of big names to guide the youngsters in the right direction.With both the teams yet to sort out their combinations, let’s take a look at how the combined XI of both these teams (from players picked from the squads for this series) look:

#1 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has been the most consistent ODI batsman for India in the recent past

Eight years ago, a young and talented batsman from Mumbai drew a lot of attention with his batting in the 2008 Commonwealth Bank series and everyone considered him as the next big thing in cricket. But, Rohit Sharma failed to live up to the expectations as he kept on failing consistently in the middle order.

But ever since being promoted to open the innings in ODIs, Rohit hasn’t looked back. He has been India’s most consistent opener in the past three years and has averaged above 50 as an opener.

Rohit has tasted success in Australia and the World Champions are his favourite opposition in ODIs as he averages 59 against them with three of his seven tons against the Aussies.

A lot has been expected from Rohit in the upcoming ODI series, as a failure at the top could expose India’s weak middle-order against the accurate Aussie bowlers.

#2 David Warner

Warner has been on the rampage since becoming vice-captain

With Rohit Sharma taking an opener’s slot without a second thought, choosing his opening partner was quite a difficult task. Both the Aussie openers were in the reckoning for the second opener’s slot and in the end, Warner got the nod ahead of Finch.

Warner has been Australia’s most consistent batsman in all the three formats in the last 18 months and he will hope to continue his Test match form in the ODIs too. Warner has the ability to get his team off to a flier and the team management will want him to bat longer and score big.

Warner is likely to miss the latter half of the series owing to the birth of his second child.

#3 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli will look to bounce back from a disappointing 2015

The first member on the sheet from both these teams would be the Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli. Kohli has been one of the most consistent players in the ODIs in the last 5 years.

Kohli batting at number 3 ahead of Australian skipper Steve Smith is because of the fact that he has the ability to anchor the innings and put a huge score on the board when compared to Smith.

2015 was not Kohli's productive year in ODIs at least by his standards and this might the reason why he will be motivated to get 2016 off to a flier and stamp his authority gainst the Aussies.

#4 Steve Smith

The Australian skipper is in the middle of a purple patch

Just like Virat Kohli, Australian skipper Steve Smith is also an automatic choice in this lineup. Steve Smith has been a revelation in the last 18 months as he has been awarded the best cricketer of 2015.

Smith has a special affinity towards India as he piled up 792 runs in the 4 match test series against India and continued his good run against the men in blue in the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup against the same opposition.

As mentioned in the above slide, Smith will be batting at number 4 in our India-Australia combined XI.

#5 George Bailey

George Bailey’s interantional records are impressive

George Bailey, one of Australia’s most underrated ODI cricketers gets into our India vs Australia combined XI. Bailey has been a consistent limited-overs batsman in the last 2 years and has the ability to bind the batting order together.

The right-hander plays the role of anchor in the Australian side and does that to perfection. He keeps the scorecard ticking in the middle overs and accelerate whenever his team needs him to do.

Bailey, who was tipped to become the Aussie captain after Clarke’s retirement can be the floater in the side and his batting position depends on the situation of the match.

#6 Glenn Maxwell

The Big Show is a delight to see when in full flow

Glenn Maxwell might be the difference both the sides in the 5 match ODI series as he is chosen as one of the two all-rounders in our India-Australia combined XI. Being a clean hitter of the cricket ball, Maxwell adds more firepower to the destructive Aussie batting order and he has the ability to turn the game on its head in a matter of balls.

Maxwell, being the lone spinner in the Aussie squad, will be asked to chip in with some overs when needed.

#7 MS Dhoni

Under-fire skipper MS Dhoni will look to make history down-under

India’s ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be the captain of our India-Australia combined XI and will don the gloves behind the stumps ahead of his counterpart Matthew Wade.

MS Dhoni has been one of the most consistent batsmen for years now and averages over 50 in the format. Though he might not be the same batsman when he was a couple of years ago, he still has some venom left in him.

A lot has been expected from MS Dhoni as he is the only experienced batsman in India’s weak and inexperienced middle-order that has the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey and Gurkeerat Mann Singh.

#8 James Faulkner

James Faulkner

One of Australia’s three all-rounders in the series, James Faulkner gets into our India-Australia combined XI as the fast-bowling all-rounder.

Faulkner has been a complete package for the Aussies in the limited overs format as he can bowl his quota of 10 overs without conceding runs, can score some crucial runs for his team down the order and finish off games with ease.

With the hosts lacking experience in the pace department, Steve Smith will hope for this man to step up and deliver the goods for his side.

#9 R Ashwin

R Ashwin

The world’s best spinner at the moment, Ravichandran Ashwin gets himself into the India-Australia combined XI as the lone spinner. Ashwin is the most experienced bowler from both the sides in the absence of Mitchell Starc and Mohammad Shami.

After his heroics in test matches last year, skipper MS Dhoni will expect him to come good in the ODIs as well. Ashwin’s 10 overs are crucial for the team which was evident during the ODIs against South Africa last year.

Dhoni could use him in patches to tackle Australia’s best batsmen which includes the likes of David Warner, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell.

#10 Josh Hazlewood

Josh Hazlewood- The pace spearhead

In the absence of Mitchell Starc and Mohammad Shami, Josh Hazlewood will be the pace spearhead in the India-Australia combined XI. A lot was expected from Hazlewood as he is set to lead the inexperienced Australian pace attack that has Kane Richardson, Scott Boland and Joel Paris.

Hazlewood’s exploits with the new ball will decide the fate of the Indian innings as the top 3 batsmen tend to bat for a long time and pile on the runs once they look well set at the crease. The onus will be on the New South Welshman to provide his side with some early breakthroughs and put his side on the front foot.

#11 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav

Initially, Umesh Yadav was not picked in the India-Australia combined XI as Mohammad Shami, who was set to return from a knee injury was preferred to partner Hazlewood with the new ball. But an injury to Shami meant that Umesh has to replace him the in the lineup.

Umesh was India’s leading wicket-taker in 2015 and he would like to continue his good run this year as well. In the absence of Shami, Umesh has a lot of burden on his shoulder and MS Dhoni will turn up to him to strike when his side needed to do so.