Mohammed Shami sent Cooper Connolly back for a duck in the third over, redeeming himself after dropping Travis Head on the first ball. But Rohit Sharma's toss curse continued- India lost their 14th in a row! Steve Smith seized the opportunity, choosing to bat first. India stuck to their winning combination, while Australia made two changes- Connolly replaced the injured Matthew Short, and Jason Sangha came in for Spencer Johnson.

For a brief period between 2016 and 2021, India had flipped the script against Australia. They won both ICC tournament clashes- the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2019 ODI World Cup. They also dominated the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, winning four consecutive series, including two historic triumphs in Australia.

But for younger fans accustomed to India’s dominance, the Aussies' recent resurgence feels like a rude awakening. For older fans, though, this is just a return to the natural order.

Historically, Australia has been India’s biggest roadblock in major tournaments. No matter how strong India is, Australia has always been just a step ahead- just as they proved in the crushing 2003 World Cup final.

Now, the battle reignites. Can India turn the tide, or will Australia once again prove why they are the ultimate cricketing powerhouse?