Australia’s Predicted Playing XI for 1st ODI vs South Africa: Sportsrush presents before you Australia’s Playing XI for the first match.

In the last ODI, Test and T20I series that Australia have played, they haven’t won a single match. In a sans Steven Smith and David Warner playing XI, the Aussies have succumbed to all sorts of pressure in overseas conditions such as England and the UAE.

In such difficult times, playing on the home soil might be of some respite for the Australian team. Having said, it won’t be as easy as it sounds for they will kick-start the home summer against a formidable opposition in South Africa which will be followed by a full series against India.

The three ODIs and a one-off T20I against the Proteas is perhaps the best possible stint for Australia to set their combination right for the summer. With Aaron Finch appointed as captain of the ODI side, both the team management and the fans would be looking for change in fortunes from the word go.

Australia’s Predicted Playing XI for the first ODI

1. Top-order – Talking of fortunes, an unfortunate news of captain Aaron Finch injuring his right hand ahead of the first ODI had arrived earlier in the day. To the likes of Australian fans, scans have revealed that there is nothing serious to the injury and that Finch will take the field on Sunday in Perth.

In the last ODI that they played at Manchester, Finch and Travis Head had come out to open the batting for Australia. That seems a highly likely possibility for Sunday as well. With Chris Lynn in the squad, playing at his favourable position of No. 3 will form a strong top-order for the hosts.

2. Middle-order – In Manchester, Marcus Stoinis and D’Arcy Short had batted at No. 3 and 7 respectively. While those some desperate decisions taken on the back of losing four matches on the trot, expect them to not get repeated this time.

Having scored 288 runs in five matches at an average of 57.60 and a strike rate of 102.85, Shaun Marsh was Australia’s highest run-scorer in the series. The 35-year old southpaw will continue to both bat at No. 4 and play in the same fashion against the Proteas.

In Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively, Australia have a couple of all-rounders who can contribute in all departments of the game, chiefly at going bonkers in the slog overs. Batting at No. 7, Alex Carey will perform the wicket-keeping duties.

3. Bowlers – Out of Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa, Australia are likely to go with the former for he can chip in with bat down the order. Among the pacers, Australia are all in likeliness of fielding their best-attack in the form of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

The trio had played an ODI at the stars of 2018 during England’s tour of Australia. For Starc and Hazlewood, the fifth ODI at Perth was their last. All three of them will once again be looking to be in command of the opposition.

Australia’s PRedicted Playing XI for the first ODI – 1) Aaron Finch (c) 2) Travis Head 3) Chris Lynn 4) Shaun Marsh 5) Glenn Maxwell 6) Marcus Stoinis 7) Alex Carey (wk) 8) Ashton Agar 9) Mitchell Starc 10) Pat Cummins 11) Josh Hazlewood

There is no hiding to the fact that Australia have an able playing XI on paper. If they convert this value on the field, things might become really difficult for the visitors. Read some of the recent Twitter reactions on the Australian team below: