IND vs AUS 1st ODI: 'Thalaivar' Rajinikanth Watches Wankhede Game, Check PICS here

India won the toss in the first ODI vs Australia at the Wankhede stadium and decided to bowl first even if the heat was extreme. Hardik Pandya is captaining India in absence of Rohit Sharma.

Source: Twitter

Cinema legend and superstar Rajinikanth, who is also known as 'Thalaivar' among fans, attended the first ODI between India and Australia. The actor was seen sitting beside Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) head Amol Kale in the VIP guest box of the iconic stadium. The MCA posted pics on their Twitter and wrote: "Thalaiva in the house. The President of Mumbai Cricket Association, Mr. @Amolkk1976 in conversation with the Superstar @rajinikanth during the #INDvAUS game at the Wankhede." Rajinikanth fans are loving the photos as the superstar is sporting a big smile in these photos. 

Check Rajinikanth's pics at Wankhede stadium below:

Thalaiva in the house _

The President of Mumbai Cricket Association, Mr. @Amolkk1976 in conversation with the Superstar @rajinikanth during the #INDvAUS game at the Wankhede _#MCA #Mumbai #Cricket #IndianCricket #Wankhede #BCCI pic.twitter.com/lvgmfL2gsp — Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) (@MumbaiCricAssoc) March 17, 2023

Earlier, India's stand-in captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to field first. The pitch is suited for batting. Hardik felt that chasing could be better option on the surface and that is why even in extremely hot conditions, the captain decided to field first. Australia captain Steve Smith informed Ravi Shastri at the toss that David Warner was not playing as he was not 100 percent fit. Even Alex Carey will be missing in the ODIs as he has gone back home because he fell sick a few days back. Warner's absence was not really felt as Marsh, who opened with Travis Head in his absence, slammed a fifty and was still batting at the time of writing of this article. 

Both these countries do not play many ODIs before the World Cup later this year. This 3-match series is a nice way to understand the conditions for Australia and prepare themselves for the tough challenge later in October and November when the show-piece event is held. India too will be looking try out different options to zero in on the World Cup squad. The selection is still far but this is a good chance for many players to cement their place in the side.