Rohit Sharma's all-conquering India are hungry for the elusive piece of silverware.

Standing in their way is a steely Australian outfit rich with pedigree.

Who will seize the moment today?AHMEDABAD: For cricket fans who followed the sport in the era between 1995 to 2007, Australia were the benchmark of cricketing excellence.

With the way Rohit-Sharma’s India have turned up in the 2023 World Cup, though, winning 10 games on the bounce en route to the title clash, will it be fair to say they have acquired an aura similar to the Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting-led Australian teams of that time? However, while India’s cupboard has been rich with cash, it has been bare in terms of ICC silverware.That is what Rohit’s boys, who lost the World Test Championship final to Pat Cummins-led Australia at the Oval in June, will look to try and change.Because India have competed well against Australia across formats, both home and away, it is labelled as the No.1 rivalry in international cricket by stakeholders and broadcasters.

It is somewhat fitting that another world title will be decided after a contest between these two crack outfits.

While the 2023 Australian side has seven players who featured in their title triumph at home in 2015, India have only Ravichandran Ashwin and Virat Kohli who know what it feels like to be crowned world champions.

India, though, are playing like champions since the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in September, which they won.

They boast of having the leading run-getter with 711 runs in Virat Kohli and the leading wickettaker in Mohammed Shami (23 wickets) in their team.

Their captain Rohit Sharma has the most runs in the Powerplay and the most sixes.

In Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, they have in-form middle-order batters who can graft and seamlessly shift gears.

With the ball, despite an off day in the semifinal against New Zealand in Mumbai, Jasprit Bumrah has set the tone in the Powerplay, softening up batters and threatening their edges and defenses with dream deliveries.

Mohammed Siraj has shown his ability to produce magic balls, be it with old ball or new.

Their tweakers, led by left-armspinner Ravindra Jadeja — who has been both parsimonious and penetrative — and ‘chinaman’ bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who has bowled important middle overs and broken key partnerships, have helped skipper Rohit to control the game.

With the game being played on a black-soil pitch used for the India-Pakistan match on October 14, India will be wondering whether they should change a winning combination or do what they did in the first match of the tournament in Chennai against Australia — play Ashwin and attack with a three-pronged spin attack.

With winter setting in here though, dew is a serious factor.

Australia, who were placed bottom of the table after losing the first two games to India and South Africa, have won eight matches in succession, peaking gradually with each game.

They also like to come hard at their rivals early on.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were at their menacing best in the semifinal against South Africa and they will look to dent India early, knowing well how much their lineup depends on the turbo-charged starts by Rohit in the Powerplay.

Rohit has been dismissed 33 times by left-arm pace and 22 of them have come in the Powerplay.

Despite Rohit dominating Kiwi left-armer Trent Boult in the semifinal, the pacier Starc could be more suited to snare the big fish.

Remember Brendon McCullum in the 2015 final? Leggie Adam Zampa has a great match-up against Virat Kohli and he would love another contest with event-filled day, comprising a 15-minute air show prior to the start of the game, musical programs during drinks break and innings break, and a laser and light show have been planned to keep the fans and TV audience engaged.

One hopes the cricket will be as engaging, if not more.WatchRohit Sharma's childhood coach Dinesh Lad expresses confidence: 'Definitely, we will be winning World Cup finals'