New Delhi: After sharing honours (1-1) in the T20I series, India scripted history with their maiden Test series victory on Australian soil. Now, the focus shifts to the much-anticipated three-match ODI series which kicks off on January 12 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The series assumes significance as both teams prepare for the ICC World Cup in May-June in England.

The anti-climatic end to the historic Test series with the scoreline 2-1 in favour of Virat Kohli and his men on Monday could have well been 3-1 but for the rain in Sydney which played spoilsport and resulted in the fourth and final Test ending in a draw.

Also read: India-Australia ODI series schedule

However, the final result of the Test rubber in some ways makes India overwhelming favourites for the 50-over contests considering their solidity in all departments of white-ball cricket.

MyNation brings to you the five major reasons which firmly tilt the scales in favour of India to win the ODI trophy.

1. Well-equipped to deal with Australian conditions

No matter how depleted the Australian squad may be or how much chaos surrounds the national team, the players will give their all on the field. In these circumstances, it's always good for a visiting team to be well-equipped for the conditions Down Under. Fortunately for India, before they lock horns against the Aussies, they have played a lot of cricket in their conditions.

Three T20Is followed by four Test matches, and interestingly India have almost the same set of players. The players who weren't around for the Test series were present during the T20I series. In all, the ‘Men in Blue’ had a good match time and should cruise to victory by outperforming the opposition.

2. Quality bowling attack

It wouldn't be wrong to say that India will face Australia with their best bowling attack ever. India, in the present scenario, have a versatile and energetic bowling attack which has performed well in the previous calendar year.

Lead spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are capable of making the Aussies dance to their tunes with their extraordinary bowling skills, whereas Jasprit Bumrah, the hero of the Test series, and Khaleel Ahmed could make the ball reverse swing to trouble the hosts’ batsmen. Mohammed Shami should be able to make his experience count. To sum it up, if the bowlers are complemented by the batsmen properly, India have a great chance in ODIs.

3. The absence of Steve Smith and David Warner

The two most experienced campaigners of the current Australian setup, Steve Smith and David Warner are currently serving a year-long international ban after getting involved in the ball-tampering scandal back in South Africa last year. Ever since the incident, Australia have not looked the same.

The absence of two greats is highly advantageous for India, as it was seen during the Test rubber. The Australian team will not only miss their batting skills but also their leadership skills against a quality line-up like India. It would be interesting to see how the less experienced batting line-up tackles the lethal Indian bowling attack.

4. The experience of Mahendra Singh Dhoni

One of the biggest reasons why Australia can face another debacle is the presence of the experienced former Indian skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. With his lightning fast work behind the stumps, Dhoni is irreplaceable as the team’s wicketkeeper. Not only that, he also brings a lot more to the table by offering ideas to the bowlers, discussing field placements with Virat Kohli, and motivating the young guns in the team.

5. Power-packed batting line-up

Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and Kohli have been the stars of the Indian batting line-up for quite some time now. Except for the trio, the likes of Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, and Dinesh Karthik have also been in top form which should act as a major boost for India.

The lower middle-order is also looking pretty solid with Dhoni and Hardik Pandya utilising their experience to up the scoring rate in the death overs. Interestingly, most of the Indian batters are traveling to Australia for at least the second time and their experience from the first occasion could help them in batting friendly conditions.