Predicted India XI for the 1st Australia-India ODI

The Indian ODI team will look to start 2016 wellIndia did not have a very good ODI record in 2015. Out of the four ODI series India were part of, India won only one of them, against Zimbabwe. They lost the ODI series against South Africa at home, Bangladesh away and the tri-series against Australia and England in Australia.However, India had a good run in the World Cup as they won all the games they played, except for the semifinals against eventual winners, Australia.India will look to improve on the patchy form in the ODIs they played in 2015, and look to begin 2016 on a winning note by beating the World Champions in their own backyard. With so many new names in the ODI squad, India will wear a new look Down Under as they play five ODIs and three T20Is.Here is the predicted XI for the first ODI between Australia and India in Perth:

#1 Rohit Sharma

Although he has been poor in Test cricket, Rohit Sharma was India's best performer in ODIs in 2015 as he racked up 815 runs at an average of 50.93 and an impressive strike rate of 95.43 in the 17 matches that he played. He scored three centuries and four half-centuries during the last calendar year.

In the 2015 ICC World Cup, Rohit was India's second-highest run getter as he scored 330 runs in 8 games. His 126-ball 137 in the quarterfinals against Bangladesh proved to be a match-winning one as it helped India put up a good total on board.

Rohit's presence at the top of the batting order is crucial for India in the 50-over format as he can go on to make a big score once he gets himself settled in. Having had a successful outing Down Under last time around, the 28-year-old will be hoping that he goes on to make a good start to 2016.

#2 Shikhar Dhawan

Under-fire opener, Shikhar Dhawan had a great start to 2015 as he scored 412 runs in eight matches in the World Cup at an average of 51.50. Dhawan was the highest run-getter for India and the fifth-highest run-getter in the World Cup. Both of his centuries scored in 2015 came during the 50-over tournament.

However, after the World Cup, Dhawan's form dipped drastically as he scored only 284 runs in the remaining eight matches he played in 2015. Dhawan will be looking to change his fortunes this year as the Indian campaign begins in Perth on January 12. If the warm-up games are anything to go by, the 30-year-old looks to have found some good form as he scored 74 in the T20 game against Western Australia XI.

#3 Virat Kohli

India's Test captain, Virat Kohli is probably the first name on the teamsheet for India because of the 27-year-old's incredible ODI record. Since his debut as a 19-year-old, Kohli has come a long way in leaps and bounds to be one of the best batsmen in the 50-over format.

Kohli is one of just four batsmen, currently playing, who have a batting average of more than 50 in ODIs. This, despite have a relatively poor 2015, when he scored only 623 runs in 20 matches at an average of only 36.64. Kohli, who has 23 ODI centuries to his name, scored only two during the previous calendar year.

However, having been acclimatised to the Australian conditions during the tour Down Under in 2014/15, Kohli will be full of confidence as he takes on a ‘weakened’ Australian bowling attack.

#4 Ajinkya Rahane

One of India's most consistent performers in recent times, Rahane has always been ready to play any role for the Indian cricket team with no complaints. In addition to being a technically adept batsman, Rahane is, arguably, India's best fielder.

Rahane had an excellent ending to 2015 as he scored twin centuries at the Feroz Shah Kotla Test against South Africa. Although Rahane's ODI form in 2015 was not as good as his Test form, he did have a fairly good year. It could be argued that constant shuffling all over the batting order might not have helped Rahane find rhythm in his batting.

In 21 ODI matches in 2015, Rahane scored 722 runs at an average of just above 40, which is much more than his career average of 32.53. He scored six ODI half-centuries and no tons in 2015. The 27-year-old will be hoping to convert his starts to big ones in the limiter-overs series against Australia.

#5 MS Dhoni (C &Wk)

Suresh Raina's axing from the Indian squad made it clear that Indian captain, MS Dhoni would move up the batting order. Dhoni is most likely to take up the No. 5 slot, maybe even bat at No. 4 occasionally, depending on the match situation.

The 34-year-old has come under a lot of fire recently for his approach in batting and in captaincy. However, the numbers say otherwise as Dhoni scored 640 runs in 17 innings in 2015 at an average of 45.71.

Dhoni also lived up to his reputation of being a finisher, as he helped the Indian side to victories in the World Cup matches as well as during the home series against South Africa.

Pushing himself up the batting order might just be the perfect move for the Indian captain to spend some time in the middle and go on to score a big one. The last time Dhoni scored an ODI century was in October 2013, against Australia in a home ODI series.

#6 Manish Pandey

India's search for a finisher to replace Dhoni, when he hangs up his boots, still continues with a few names being thrown in the bag. One thing that is inevitable is that the Indian management will try out different people in the No. 6 spot and see who impresses the most before having a final say on who the new “finisher” will be.

Although it was just one match, Manish Pandey played a responsible innings and scored a fifty in the warm-up One-Day game against Western Australian XI and thus gets the edge ahead of Gurkeerat Singh Mann. Despite most Indian batsmen failing, Pandey made the best use of the opportunity.

Manish Pandey was the first Indian to score a century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he scored 114 in 73 balls for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009. Pandey was just a 19-year-old when he achieved the feat. With one innings, Pandey grabbed the attention of the whole nation.

However, it took until July 2015 before Pandey featured for the national side. He played his only ODI against Zimbabwe, but scored a very important 71 runs to save India out of trouble along with Kedar Jadhav.

The 26-year-old can have a great future in the blue jersey if he can go on to impress the team management with his performances in the challenging Australian conditions.

#7 Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja's comebacks in late 2015 was one of the best in recent times, as he came back into the Test side to pick up 23 wickets in four Tests against South Africa. In the 50-over format, though, Jadeja had a miserable run in 2015 as he picked up only 10 wickets in 12 matches.

However, Jadeja's positive finish to 2015 earned him a place in the ODI squad to tour Australia and will also be a great source of confidence to the 27-year-old as India take on the World Champions in their own backyard.

Jadeja's ability to bowl a tight line and length could help the Indian side contain the Australian batting lineup on pitches that usually don't assist spin. With an ODI average of 32.21, Jadeja is a useful batsman at No. 7 and his lower-order batting might come in handy in case of a batting order collapse.

#8 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has been India's best all-format bowler since the start of 2015. He was excellent in the longest format as he ended the year on a high, finishing as the No. 1 Test bowler in the world. Although he was not as exceptional in the 50-over format, Ashwin picked up 21 wickets in 13 matches at a healthy average of 24.57 and an economy rate of 4.27.

Ashwin played only one ODI during the home series against South Africa as an injury ruled him out of the remaining four ODIs. The 29-year-old, however, came back strongly and picked up 31 wickets in the four-Test match series.

Having finished 2015 brilliantly, Ashwin's confidence will be sky high as he prepares to trouble the Australian batsmen, even though his record away from home isn't that exceptional.

#9 Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav was India's highest wicket-taker of 2015, picking up 25 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 25.28. 18 of those wickets came during the World Cup as Yadav finished the tournament as India's top wicket-taker.

Yadav's good showing Down Under in 2015 will give the 28-year-old enough confidence to lead India's bowling attack in Mohammad Shami's absence. His ability to hit speeds of above 140kph consistently will be very crucial for India on a pacy track like the WACA.

If India has to do well in the bowling department, Yadav will have to play a frontline role with the new ball and put pressure early on the Australian batsmen.

#10 Ishant Sharma

Caption

Although he is only 27, Ishant Sharma is India's most experienced bowler having made his debut as a 19-year-old. Ishant, however, last bowled in an ODI game in November 2014 against Sri Lanka, although he had featured in a washed-out ODI of the Carlton Mid tri-series in Australia in January 2015.

But, Ishant's experience in Australia is something that cannot be ignored and will be of value to his captain. Outside the Indian subcontinent, Ishant has picked up most ODI wickets in Australia than any other he has in any other country.

Ishant will be looking to perform well in the five-match ODI series and thus stake a claim for a regular place in the ODI squad.

#11 Barinder Sran

When 23-year-old Barinder Sran was named in the Indian ODI squad for the tour of Australia, it made many cricket fans wonder what made the selectors made the choice. But, the young bowler from Punjab has been in good form for his state in the domestic tournaments.

In seven Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, Sran picked up 14 wickets at an average of 27.42. In the two warm-up games against Western Australia XI, Sran impressed with the ball. He picked up two wickets giving away 24 runs in the four overs he bowled. Sran did not pick up any wicket in the 50-over game, however, he bowled in good areas to finish with figures of 0/22 in seven overs.

With Shami missing out on the whole tour of Australia due to a hamstring injury, Sran is the best bet to start for India in the first ODI considering that Bhuvneshwar might not have enough to get match fit in time for Tuesday's ODI in Perth.