India Must Get Ready To Face Maxwell, Zampa: Former Indian cricketer warns Rohit Sharma's team ahead of the World Cup opener

On Sunday, October 8, India, led by Rohit Sharma, will take on Australia in Chennai to begin their ODI World Cup 2023 campaign. Former Indian batsman Mohammad Kaif has cautioned Men in Blue to be ready for Australian spinners Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa to take them on in the middle overs ahead of the home team's opening game.

After winning the three-match ODI series against Australia 2-1 last month, the Indian team is primed to play them in the main event. Zampa claimed three wickets in two of those matches, while Maxwell returned with four wickets in the one game he participated in.

"Incorporate Maxwell's name into the mix because, following Mitchell Starc's aggressive swinging with the new ball in the first 20 overs, Maxwell and Zampa provide variety as the ball gets older. As a result, plans need to be made to specifically counter Maxwell and Zampa's attempts to slow down the game. Additionally, Indian batsmen have been losing wickets to spin lately, which is a problem," Kaif stated on Star Sports.

Kaif went on to say that Virat Kohli's ability to switch up his striking will be key to India's middle-overs innings. Also, he suggested Indian batters to make good use of their feet when facing Maxwell and Zampa.

"In my view, we should not be anticipating a massive score like 350 because it is the first match and we are in Chennai. For India, aiming for 290–300 would still be feasible because we have strong bowlers who can hold the total. Therefore, I would like us to bowl and field well, and I would also like Kohli to use his fast singles and doubles to dominate the middle overs of the game. Most importantly, he said, "there is no stopping the Indian batsmen if they use their feet well against Zampa and Maxwell."