Australia v India ODI series: All you need to know

India have the chance to really rub Australia's face in the dirt, but it's a new year and could be a new Australia so to help you follow the action, The Cricketer has brought together all the vital information...

What is it?

A three-match ODI series between hosts Australia and a touring India side. It follows a T20I series, and a Test match series which were played across November and December.

What’s the state of play?

Australia are reeling having lost their first ever home Test series to India. Though the final Test at Sydney was drawn, the Indians and Cheteshwar Pujara consistently ground them into the dirt for most of the series.

They did, however, manage to draw the three-match T20I series they played ahead of the Test series.

When and where is it happening?

The series will visit the three venues they failed to register a victory at during their four-match Test series.

Saturday, January 12: 1st ODI (Sydney) – Starts 2:20am GMT

Tuesday, January 15: 2nd ODI (Adelaide) – Starts 3:20am GMT

Friday, January 18: 3rd ODI (Melbourne) – Starts 2:20am GMT

^{Australia lost the first Test at the Adelaide Oval by 31 runs}

What are Australia’s chances?

All things cricket have not been going too well for Australia during 2018, not least their ODI performances. Over the course of 2018, they managed to muster just two victories from a possible 13.

They cannot even point to the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner for the reason behind their malaise – they were not very good before that pair got their 12-month long stay on the naughty step.

The last time Australia won an ODI series was when they beat Pakistan 4-1 back in January 2017. That is two years. Since then, they have been beaten by New Zealand, India, England twice and most recently South Africa. That series against Pakistan was the last time they won more than one match in a series.

India, on the other hand, have been rather good. Before England beat them 2-1 in their ODI series in July 2018, they had been on a winning streak of nine series. They won their most recent series against the West Indies 3-1, which means they have won 10 of their last 11 ODI series.

Simply put, it is going to be tough for Australia.

Which Australians get a go this time?

The Australia squad selected for this series has caused a stir to say the least. Shane Warne was particularly "staggered" by some of the selections and took to Twitter to vent his fury:

These ridiculous selections must stop in all forms of Australian cricket - end of ! 😡

— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) January 4, 2019

What seems to have annoyed Shane the most is the decision to drop Travis Head, D’Arcy Short and Chis Lynn in favour of Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb. Mitchell Marsh was also picked, but has now been ruled out by injury, which means Perth Scorchers team-mate Ashton Turner could make his ODI debut.

The fast-bowling trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have all been rested, while Peter Siddle returns after an eight-year absence and Jason Behrendorff is in line to make his ODI debut.

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Alex Carey, Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Jason Behrendorff, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa.

^{There is no place for D'Arcy Short, Travis Head or Chris Lynn in the Australia squad}

And India?

The biggest news for India is the reintroduction of the legend that is MS Dhoni, along with the absence of Rishabh Pant.

Despite an impressive hundred in the final Test at Sydney, Pant was beaten to the second-choice spot by Dinesh Karthik.

Though he was included in the original squad, India’s rising superstar Jasprit Bumrah is going to be rested, which increases the likelihood of seeing Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the international side from injury.

Rohit Sharma will also return having left midway through the Test series to be with his wife and new-born baby daughter.

India squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma. KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami.

^{Rishabh Pant misses out, but MS Dhoni returns for India}

How can I follow it?

BT Sport will have live coverage of all three of the matches, which will be shown on BT Sport 1 (Sky: 867, Virgin: 527, BT: 430, Plusnet: 430, TalkTalk: 408).

Who’s the favourite?

Considering the form of the two sides, it is very unsurprising that India are the favourites with most bookmakers giving odds of 1/2, while Australia are at 13/8.