Hardik Pandya Gifts Steve Smith A Potted Plant During IND Vs AUS 1st ODI Coin Toss | Watch Video
IND vs AUS, 1st ODI: Hardik Pandya gifted a potted plant to Australian captain Steve Smith during the coin toss of the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday. The gesture was a part of a part of BCCI initiative to restore the environment.
Toss Update – with a special initiative @hardikpandya7 – making his ODI captaincy debut – has won the toss & #TeamIndia have elected to bowl against Australia.
Follow the match https://t.co/BAvv2E8K6h #INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/WdqLVKEuv7
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 17, 2023
Meanwhile, India’s stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia. Hardik is leading the team in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, who is unavailable for the fixture due to family commitments.
The Indian playing XI featured four quicks in Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Hardik and Mohammed Siraj and two spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. For Australia, Josh Inglis came in for Alex Carey, who has flown home due to illness.
David Warner hasn’t fully recovered from his elbow fracture, and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will open the innings in his place.
IND vs AUS Playing XIs
India: Hardik Pandya (capt), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami.
Australia: Steven Smith (capt), Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, , Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(wk), Cameron Green, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa.