Overview

With the Champions Trophy out the way, many sides can now switch their focus to building toward the 2011 World Cup.

This series will give Australia and India the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Of course, there's a trophy and bragging rights at stake so it's unlikely that there will be too much experimenting for either side.

The hosts' form in limited-overs competition has been extremely patchy in recent months. They struggled to stamp their authority against the West Indies in the Caribbean, were offered hit-and-miss cricket across the Compaq Cup in Sri Lanka and then flopped in the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

On paper they remain one of the strongest outfits in world cricket and the selectors have one of - if not - the biggest player pool to draw from, but unfortunately they just cannot get the combinations right. Rahul Dravid, Abhishek Nayar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Dinesh Karthik and Yusuf Pathan have all come and gone in recent tournaments.

The constant chopping and changing has not helped the core of the team and captain Mahendra Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma have all had one good game followed by a poor one. It's about time they each string together a good run of form and with seven matches lined up, they won't get a better opportunity to do so.

On the up side for India, Virender Sehwag, Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh have all recovered from injury and will strengthen the batting line-up considerably. Bowling-wise, despite Zaheer Khan's absence through injury, Ashish Nehra, Sharma and Praveen Kumar will be favourites for the fast-bowling slots. Throw in spinners Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra and you're met by a potent bowling unit.

While the Indians continue to mix'n'match, Australia appear to be building another formidable one-day side. The last time these two sides met in a limited-overs series in 2008, the Aussie side included Messrs Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds.

When the trio retired/stopped being considered for selection, everyone predicted that the World Champions would go through a long transitional period as they started to introduce fresh blood to the team. Unfortunately for India - and the rest of the world - the changing of the guard didn't last very long.

Tim Paine, Shane Watson and Cameron White have grabbed their opportunities with both hands and in recent months Australia have once again looked unstoppable. They've hammered England six-one at home and then swept all before them in the Champions Trophy.

Their strength in depth will be tested in India though, as vice-captain Michael Clarke, batsman Callum Ferguson and limited-overs bowling specialist Nathan Bracken will all be missing through injury.

The absence of the two batsmen will be detrimental as it weakens the middle order - an area that India are likely to target - and White, James Hopes and Shaun Marsh haven't enjoyed a sustained period of time in the side.

Australia's bowling department is well stocked. They've taken five pace bowlers - Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle - on tour and will probably use them to pepper India's batsmen with some short stuff. Nathan Hauritz's stock continues to rise and Hopes is always good for a couple of wickets.

All in all, both teams have pretty strong outfits and it should make for an interesting series.

Expected Match-Winners

India: Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag are once again fit and ready to roll. Their absence in recent months has robbed India of some explosive starts.

Australia: The break that Ricky Ponting took after the Ashes has done him the world of good. In the nine games since his return, he has scored two centuries and three half-tons. Besides leading his team to series glory on, he will also be keen to rack up an ODI century on Indian soil - something he hasn't done since 2003.

Probable Bench-Warmers

India: Lively right-arm pacer Sudeep Tyagi has earned his first call-up to the India squad on the back of good performances in the IPL and Challenger Trophy final. However, with Kumar, Nehra and Munaf Patel all in the squad, he's unlikely to feature. Another quick who could find himself on the sidelines if he is not careful is Ishant Sharma. Although he has a reputation for getting under the Aussies' and Ponting in particular's skin, he hasn't been at his best of late.

Australia: Although Ponting is excited to have Jon Holland in the squad, the young spinner is unlikely to feature in many of the games. His inclusion will more than likely be a learning experience on the fringes. Fellow spinner Hauritz is their number-one gun for now.

Last Five Head-To-Head Results

2008: Commonwealth Bank Series second final: India won by nine runs in Brisbane
2008: Commonwealth Bank Series first final: India won by six wickets in Sydney
2008: Commonwealth Bank Series round-robin clash: Australia won by 18 runs in Sydney
2008: Commonwealth Bank Series round-robin clash: Australia won by 50 runs in Adelaide
2008: Commonwealth Bank Series round-robin clash: India won by five wickets in Melbourne

The Skippers' Say

"At the moment we have been playing some consistently good one-day cricket and I expect that to continue in India. We need to keep improving and we need to be at our best in this series. We know the Indian team will play well in their conditions. Their fast bowlers, even if they haven't got the class of the likes of Zaheer Khan around, will find a way to do the job. That's what it's all about at the international level." - Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting, expecting a tough battle.

"I should be alright. But have to wait and see how it feels in the morning." - India captain Mahendra Dhoni, short and sweet about a slight knee injury.

Prediction

If Clarke and Ferguson had been fit, Australia would've been clear favourites. But their collective absence will be a big blow and with India turning out at home, the series result will be a tight. India will win it, but here's hoping for seven high-scoring games and a four-three result.

Squads

India:Mahendra Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Harbhajan Singh, Sudeep Tyagi, Munaf Patel, Amit Mishra, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ashish Nehra.

Australia: Ricky Ponting, Tim Paine, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, Adam Voges, Cameron White, Shaun Marsh, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Jon Holland, Ben Hilfenhaus, Doug Bollinger.

Shahida Jacobs