Big picture - Subplots add to the intrigue
This Australian international summer - hyped as possibly the biggest cricket season ever - started with a whimper after persistent drizzle in Perth ensured the first ODI was rather forgettable.
But Australia did dominate a game that lasted less than 50 overs and they can clinch the three-game series with victory in Adelaide. While the series-opener will be erased from the memory of the fans who endured the constant rain delays - a further frustration was that it hardly rained during some breaks - there were some notable takeaways for both teams.
Perhaps most pleasing for Australia was the new-ball performance from quicks Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc as they tore through India's top order before the damp weather set in. Hazlewood, particularly, relished the extra bounce and pace on a ground that will host the first Ashes Test in a month.
With Pat Cummins set to miss the Ashes opener, Hazlewood's importance has grown and he looked in good physical condition in the first ODI having struggled with injuries in recent years.
While the Ashes hovers over basically everything in Australia right now, winning this series is important for Australia as they look to build consistency in 50-over cricket after a patchy run.
ODI debutants Matthew Renshaw and Mitchell Owen performed well as did fringe players Matt Kuhnemann and Josh Philippe in a welcome sign for the team's depth amid a transition ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
India, however, had very little to take out of the first ODI apart from a late cameo from debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy and an impressive new-ball spell from left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma struggled in their returns, while Shubman Gill had a rare recent failure on his ODI captaincy debut. India were rusty in their 50-over return since the Champions Trophy and it was a particularly tight turnaround for those who played in the Delhi Test against West Indies, which only finished on October 14.
India will surely present a much more formidable challenge in Adelaide and they will need to if they are to force a series-decider. Like in Perth, the sellout crowd in Adelaide should be mostly filled with blue shirts to again underline India's heft in the sport.
Form guide
Australia WWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWWW
In the spotlight: Matthew Short and Rohit Sharma
While those in the Ashes frame are hogging the spotlight, Matthew Short has gone under the radar given he is not part of those discussions. But Short has for some time been on the fringes of Australia's white-ball teams, pegged back by inconsistencies and, more recently, injuries. Unlike Renshaw and Philippe, Short did not make the most of his opportunity in the first ODI, making just 8 off 17 and falling tamely to left-arm spinner Axar Patel. Short is likely to be retained at his favoured Adelaide Oval, where he has long dominated for Adelaide Strikers in the BBL. He will need to perform well with competition starting to heat up amid a transition of the batting order.
Rohit Sharma succumbed under the early onslaught in Perth, nicking Hazlewood to second slip on 8. In his return to the field since the IPL, he scratched around, but did show off his trim physique with hard running between the wickets. Rohit has been working tirelessly in the Adelaide nets as he hopes to turn back the clock and alleviate some pressure amid doubts over whether he can make it to the next World Cup.
"With such senior players, you don't want to intervene if it's not required," India's batting coach says about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma
Team news: Alex Carey and Zampa return
Regulars Alex Carey and Adam Zampa will return, likely at the expense of Philippe and Kuhnemann. Carey missed the opener due to Sheffield Shield duties and he will take the gloves with first-choice white-ball wicketkeeper Josh Inglis still on the sidelines with a calf injury. Zampa was unavailable in Perth owing to paternity reasons and he will squeeze out Kuhnemann, who had a rare opportunity in the XI and did well bowling in the death.
Australia (possible): 1 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 2 Travis Head, 3 Matthew Short, 4 Alex Carey (wk), 5 Matthew Renshaw, 6 Cooper Connolly, 7 Mitchell Owen, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Adam Zampa
India are likely to stick with the same batting order, but question marks hover over the makeup of their attack. Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav was unlucky to miss out in Perth although Axar and Washington Sundar - both preferred for their all-round abilities - bowled quite well, taking two of the three wickets to fall. Spinners are normally under the gun at the smaller Adelaide Oval making it an intriguing dilemma for India's hierarchy. Prasidh Krishna's ability to swing the new ball might get him the nod over Harshit Rana, who struggled in Perth.
India (possible): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Axar Patel, 7 Washington Sundar/Kuldeep Yadav, 8 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Pitch and conditions
There has been rain in Adelaide in the lead-up, with the SACA ground staff using UV lights to dry the wicket ahead of the match. In a relief, no rain is forecast on Thursday, although conditions are expected to be overcast and cool. The Adelaide Oval is renowned as a batting paradise because of the shorter boundaries square of the wicket.
Stats and trivia
Kohli needs 54 runs to move past Kumar Sangakkara and into second place on the ODI runs list.
Travis Head needs 50 to reach 3000 ODI runs.
Starc is five wickets away from joining Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Shane Warne as the only Australians to take 250 ODI wickets.
Australia have not beaten India in an ODI in Adelaide since January 2008. India completed successful chases in the past two matches between the teams in 2011 and 2019.
Quotes
"Adelaide's always a good place to play and it will be heaving tomorrow. It's a sellout so it's a great chance for guys to show off their skills."Australia batter Matthew Renshaw
"Both Virat and Rohit looked in good touch. They batted well in the nets yesterday. I believe they are doing well." India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak