It doesn’t get bigger than this

Rohit Mahajan in Sydney

There would be heartbreak at the Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow. It’s here and now. The match the Indians have been waiting for, and dreading, is here. Australia, four-time world champions, stand in India’s way to the final. Australia are both an immovable object and irresistible force. Australia must play below their best, and India above their best, for this match to go India’s way.
India have shown that they’re playing close to their best. Most of their batsmen have been scoring runs; the bowlers have been exceptional, the surprise of the tournament; the fielding has been excellent for most of the tournament. They’re unbeaten in the tournament. The only other team that has been unbeaten is New Zealand. The Indians are on a high, they’re hopeful of joining New Zealand in the final.
Australia were the pre-tournament favourites. They’re the No. 1 side in the world. In familiar conditions, both Australia and New Zealand were deemed the likeliest semifinalists. New Zealand have gone a step further. The Australians would be determined, and under pressure, to join New Zealand in the final.
Like at the first semifinal at Auckland on Tuesday, there would be heartbreak and triumph at the SCG tomorrow.
The Indians just might have the better balance of the teams in the context of the SCG wicket; this is an assertion that would have been deemed lunatic just five weeks ago. Five weeks have transformed India. The shakiness and uncertainty of the Test series against Australia and the One-day Tri-series have been shaken off. The batting, out of the blue, has found form. Four Indian batsmen have made centuries, and two others have made half-centuries.
The quick bowlers have, against predications and expectations, found the right groove. They’ve bowled the right lengths and to their fields. Shami, Yadav and Mohit have maintained a surprising level of speed. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have backed the pacers and picked up wickets.

Aussie power
The Australians have even greater batting firepower. Glenn Maxwell has smashed 301 runs at a strike rate of over 183; David Warner has 288 runs at a strike rate of over 123; Aaron Finch, the third centurion for Australia, has a strike rate of over 108. Steven Smith, who was such a pain for India in the Test series, has 241 runs, and he’s not even hit top gear. Shane Watson can turn in a match-winning performance any day. He’s got one blistering half-century and one diffident and fearful one, which did help his team win the quarterfinal.
Michael Clarke, the captain, is the sole disappointment. Several former players have suggested that his return to the team has upset the balance of the team. Even Ricky Ponting, his former captain, has said that it’s time Clarke gave up on One-day cricket. Today, questioned about his return to the team, Clarke kept his calm and said with emphasis: “Everybody's entitled to their own opinion. I've played over 200 One-dayers now for Australia, and I think my record stacks up against just about anyone.”
Clarke is under pressure — the tension he’s under is almost palpable. How will he respond tomorrow?

Spin pitch
Much speculation has been feverishly worked up about the nature of the pitch for the match. The Australian players have said that they’d wish for a grassy pitch — that won’t happen simply because greenish pitches are completely undesirable in ODI cricket, and because the pitches in the World Cup fall under the jurisdiction of the ICC, not Cricket Australia.
Yesterday, a rain of the kind that hits India’s eastern parts in the monsoon hit Melbourne. That left the ground wet and the pitch damp. This would lower the perception of threat that comes from the Indian spinners. A persistent roller has been run over the wicket over the last two days, making it hard; there’s no grass, though, and there’s unlikely to be much movement off the track.
The Australians possess an excellent fast bowling unit — Mitchell Starc has been on fire, and Josh Hazlewood joined the party in the quarterfinal against Pakistan. The team that wins the toss would like to bat first — that’s a no-brainer. Clarke discounted the importance of the toss today, but it’s clear that it would play an important role. India have been lucky with the toss in three key games — against Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh. They’d want to win it tomorrow, too -- chasing big runs against Australia is fraught with grave dangers.
That India would reach the quarterfinals was a given; they got the best possible opponents, Bangladesh, in the quarterfinals. Now it’s time to perform or pack up.

Road to Semis  in 2015 World Cup

Matches 7
INDIA WON 7
AUS WON 5

India Top performers

Kohli 304 runs
He has failed to convert his starts after scoring a ton against Pakistan in the opening match. He had gone without a half-century since that 107

Dhawan 367 runs
Has batted himself back into form and will have to continue the good work. His partnership with Rohit at the top will be crucial for the holders against the formidable pace attack of Australia

Shami 17 wickets
Has impressed in World Cup debut with his ability to bowl at a lively pace and clever use of the bouncer

Key to beating Australia
Need to bat well against Starc in the opening overs and Kohli needs to bat long against the co-hosts who have been unbeaten against India in the four months.

Australia Top performers

Maxwell 301 runs
The middle-order batsman has been in red-hot form, smashing bowlers to all corners of the ground and often with unconventional shots. He has scored 66, 1, 88, 102 and 44 not out in five knocks and also took five wickets with his off-spin

Starc 18 wickets
The left-arm seamer is second in the list of wicket-takers and has taken wickets at an average of 9.77. He has bowled fast and accurate

Warner 288 runs
Warner made the most of the Afghanistan bowling, scoring 178 against them in Perth and has averaged 57.60 in the tournament

Key to beating INDIA
Starc will have to make early inroads and the frontline batsmen need to deliver against India’s bowling attack which has dismissed opponents in all seven matches so far.

Australia v India head-to-head: Total played: 117 | Australia won 67, India won 40, no result 10
At Sydney Cricket Ground: Played 14, Australia won 12, India won 1, no result 1
Live on Star Sports: 9am