Setting the scene
Australia and India enter the match with three wins each so far in the 2003-04 ODI tri-series, which also features Zimbabwe.
The 2003 World Cup finalists have split their two matches so far, and also recorded two wins each over the Zimbabweans, and look destined to face each other in the finals.
A superb all-round showing from Andrew Symonds in the series opener at the MCG handed the Aussies an 18-run win, despite a haul of 6-42 from Indian seamer Agit Agarkar, who also impressed in the preceding Test campaign that was drawn 1-all.
Nine days later, India responded with a 19-run win over the Aussies at the Gabba, thanks largely to a century from VVS Laxman and a score of 86 from Sachin Tendulkar, who had rediscovered his best touch with a double century in the SCG Test two weeks earlier.
Matthew Hayden responded with a century of his own, but a haul of 4-48 from paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji helped the tourists square the ledger at one win each.
But Hayden is one of several big-name omissions from this match, the Queenslander given time off to recover from some minor injuries, meaning Simon Katich will open the innings alongside Adam Gilchrist.
India have also been hit hard by injury with Tendulkar, opener Virender Sehwag and spinner Anil Kumble all sidelined, putting extra pressure on batting stars like Laxman, skipper Sourav Ganguly and youngster Yuvraj Singh.
There will also be plenty of attention on Aussie speedster Brett Lee, who was rested from the start of the one-day series after a horror end to the Test summer at the SCG, where he returned match figures of 4-276 from almost 52 overs, including 24 no balls.
Australia have had to make do without pace spearhead Glenn McGrath throughout the summer due to a serious ankle injury while spinner Shane Warne, who announced his retirement from one-day cricket in early 2003, has also missed the entire season due to a doping ban.
Australia XI: Adam Gilchrist, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (c), Damien Martyn, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Ian Harvey, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie
India XI: Sourav Ganguly (c), Parthiv Patel, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Rohan Gavaskar, Hemang Badani, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Irfan Pathan, Lakshmipathy Balaji
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