The highly-anticipated clash between India and Australia is just a couple of hours away from getting underway at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Rohit Sharma and Co must have prepared well enough for the clash so much that they will be looking to start their World Cup venture on a positive note.

Ravi Ashwin does intense power-hitting in nets ahead of Ind vs Aus clash.Ahead of the clash, Ravi Ashwin hogged the limelight as he worked intensely at the nets, doing power-hitting practice. India's bowling all-rounder will be licking his lips to perform against the Aussies. Apart from his bowling credentials, he has the capability to bat as well and can be a productive weapon in the lower order.

For the unversed, Ravichandran Ashwin was initially not part of India's squad for the ODI World Cup 2023 but Axar Patel's untimely injury opened the door for the veteran cricketer to get back into the mix. He announced his arrival in the three-match ODI series against Australia in which he took four wickets to his name.

Meanwhile, the apex cricket body, ICC took to their Instagram handle and posted a video clip of Ravi Ashwin's power-hitting in the practice session ahead of India's opening fixture against Australia at his home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Team India last won the Cricket World Cup back in 2011 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni where the Men in Blue defeated Sri Lanka in the final to clinch the major honour. Since then, they failed to make a real case for themselves in the next two editions of the World Cup.

However, in a first, the ongoing World Cup is being held in India for the first time and it remains to be seen how Rohit Sharma and Co will approach the event. After playing against Australia, India will lock horns with the Pakistan cricket team on October 14, Saturday at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

India's squad for World Cup 2023

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav