India vs Australia 1st ODI: Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report, Team Records at Wankhede Stadium

Team India will be taking on the visiting Australian team in a three-match ODI series and the opening ODI game is scheduled to begin on 17 March, 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India have been a dominant opposition at home in the white ball formats over the recent few years as they defeated both New Zealand and Sri Lanka comprehensively at the start of 2023 calendar year. On the other hand, it will once again be a big challenge for the visiting Australian team and they will also be looking to make better preparations for this year’s 50-over ICC World Cup.

Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India is known for its high-quality batting track. In fact, it is considered one of the best in the country. This reputation is expected to hold true for the first One Day International (ODI) match being held there after a gap of three years. The last ODI played at Wankhede was between India and Australia, which Australia won by 10 wickets after successfully chasing down a target of 256 runs.

Wankhede Stadium Pitch pitch being used for the upcoming match will be a red-soil track, which typically provides extra bounce to the bowlers. In the initial overs, the pacers can take advantage of the new ball and generate some movement. However, wrist spinners may find it tricky to bowl on this pitch due to the bounce. The smaller ground dimensions, though, will make it harder for them to contain the runs.

Despite the challenges posed to the bowlers, the pitch is overall expected to be excellent for batting. There are no real demons in the pitch that could make it difficult for batters to score runs. In fact, the shorter boundaries and fast outfield will make it easier for them to score boundaries. Additionally, it has been observed that batting has become easier under lights, which could prompt both teams to opt for chasing if they win the toss.

Wankhede Stadium Records

Out of the 27 ODI  matches played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, 13 times teams have won batting first while on 14 occasions chasing teams have emerged victorious.

The average first innings score remains around 240-260. In 2015, South Africa posted the biggest total on this ground when they recorded a massive score of 438 for 4 in 50 overs.

The Indian team have witnessed as many as 10 victories and 9 losses in the recent while.

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