looking to exploit the fast and bouncy conditions at the WACA, Australian opener Aaron Finch on Sunday said his team would look to corner the Indians early on in the opening cricket ODI on January 12.
India last played an ODI at the WACA against Australia in 2004 and even though the wicket has changed since, Finch believes the hosts can still put the visitors in a spot of bother.
"The Perth wicket has changed over the last few years. I don't think that there is same amount of carry that used to be. But there is extra bounce and that's something that they will have to adjust to and we can start to exploit that straightaway in the very first game of the series.
"But I think their young players, who have come at the back of the seniors, like Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli are pretty well-rounded players. I am sure they will adapt but if we can exploit that first hour I think that can go a along way to winning a match," Finch told reporters.
Having beaten India in the semifinals en route to their fifth 50-over World Cup triumph, Australia go into the five-match series as favourites and Finch said it feels good to be in that position.
"When you have that tag, that means you have played good cricket. It means you are favourites or there is excitement around your team because you have played so well in the past and I think that is something for which we can hold our head high.
"We had a great World Cup, we had a great couple of years leading into it. So, I think we deserve that tag and there is no reason why there shouldn't be a big build-up and such excitement around our team," he said.
Finch, who has a decent average of 38.06 in 52 ODIs, is confident of himself and the Australian team.
"I think I have played quite well. In my technique, I have adjusted to a couple of things lately that have me free up my game a little bit. As a team, we have played great cricket in Australia, so everyone is confident and everyone is feeling good about the games," he said.
‘Beating us big deal for Ind’
Australia batsman George Bailey says his team is looking forward to renew a "fierce" rivalry with India in upcoming five-match ODI series and feels it will be a big deal for the visitors to beat them.
"We have got a rich history and a really strong rivalry with India. We have fought some fierce battles, both in India and here over the last few years. They have played some very strong, aggressive brand of cricket in much as the same way as we do. So, we have to be at our best, some young guys have come in after the change of guard post the World Cup but the rivalry would be as strong," said Bailey.
Bailey believes the semifinal win over India in the World Cup last year won't be in the mind of either team's players.
"It is a big deal for them to try and beat us and particularly away from home. We have got a great record in one-day cricket, including the World Cup. But there has been huge amount of changes to the side which played that World Cup final. There's been a change of guard, a lot of guys are trying to find their place and some of us guys are trying to make sure that we can stay in the team for as long as we can," said Bailey.
On WACA wicket, he added: "It's a typical WACA wicket, we have had some high-scoring games here over the past few years. I always feel that the bowlers get pretty excited, they weren't much fun to face in nets. It may not be as bouncy as it used to be but as compared to other grounds in the country, it is still bouncy."