InMobi

Australia spy a Test edge from their ODI dominance

The prolific form of Australia's batsmen in the ODI series will see them carry an advantage into the Test series against India, suggests Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne has declared Australia's one-day dominance can give the batsmen a psychological advantage over India going into the Test summer.

Australia are on the verge of completing one of the most prolific ODI series with the bat, having already wrapped up victory with two wins in Sydney.

A score of 204 or more in game three of the Dettol ODI Series in Canberra on Wednesday will mark Australia's most high-scoring three-match one-day series in history, while 292 would break a world record.

Batting onslaught, classic catches see Aussies seal 2-0 ODI series win

Australia scored 6-374 in the first match and 4-389 in the second game, with Steve Smith scoring 62-ball centuries in both matches.

Significantly, the Test players have done the damage, with Labuschagne labelling Smith's century in the second game on Sunday one of the best he has seen.

David Warner has been ruled out of the third game and is under an injury cloud for the Vodafone Test Series with a groin injury, but he scored 69 in the first game before being run out for 83 in the second.

Labuschagne himself struck 70 on Sunday, after hitting two tons to start his Marsh Sheffield Shield season.

Smith, Zampa shine in high-scoring first ODI

Three Dettol T20I matches follow Wednesday's final one-dayer, before the four-Test series against India begins in Adelaide on December 17.

"100 per cent (you can take an advantage)," Labuschagne said on Monday. 

"Cricket is a massive confidence game and even though it's a different format it still gives you a lot of confidence when you are scoring runs consistently. 

"And the way Steve and Davey are batting currently, I have no doubt they will be able to transfer that into the Test summer.

Another extraordinary 62-ball century for supreme Smith

"But right now, there are still a lot of games to be played before that."

India's attack will remain much the same for the Test series, with Ishant Sharma out injured.

Quicks Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah have both been hit around in the ODIs, with Australia's series run-rate of 7.63 their highest in any one-day series.

Their spinner Ravindra Jadeja is yet to take a wicket, while Mitchell Starc is the only Australian bowler yet to fire.

Smith clubs third fastest men's ODI ton by an Aussie

Labuschagne believes Australia's recent red-ball experience will also help in the upcoming Tests.

At least seven of Australia's likely team for the first Test in Adelaide played in the Sheffield Shield.

Conversely, India's players have not featured in a Test or first-class match since early March, though they have two three-day warm-up games before the Border-Gavaskar opener.

"It's a slight advantage that four out of our top six have been playing Shield and have that rhythm as a batting group," Labuschagne said.

"But a lot of these (India) players we are talking about that haven't played Shield or four-day cricket, they have been doing it for a long time. 

"So I would be surprise if they didn't shift back into gear quickly."

Vodafone Test Series v India 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

India Test squad: Virat Kohli (c) (first Test only), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj

First Test: December 17-21, Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (day-night)

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG, 10.30am AEDT

Third Test: January 7-11, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Fourth Test: January 15-19, Gabba, 11am AEDT