Resurgent Australia stand between unblemished India and World Cup glory

AHMEDABAD, India : India and Australia have faced off in some of the most engaging contests in recent times and a new chapter to their rivalry will be added when they contest 50-over cricket's ultimate glory in Sunday's World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

The familiar foes will conclude their campaign like they started it, against each other, and none of the 130,000-odd seats at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be empty.

Favourites India comprehensively beat number two-ranked Australia in their tournament opener and then strung together 10 wins in a row to storm into the final of their home World Cup with an unblemished record.

Australia, by contrast, began with two defeats before going on an eight-match winning streak.

"We want to take on the best. They've been the best in the tournament so far," Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc said of India. "It's why we play the game."

Captain Rohit Sharma and his team's semi-final victory against New Zealand, considered their bogey side, has answered questions about India's fragility in knockouts.

Rohit has led by example, with unbridled aggression at the top allowing others to play with more freedom.

Virat Kohli, the tournament's leading scorer, has been the trusted anchor, while others have batted around the senior duo in India's familiar template.

"The top-five-six batters, whenever they've gotten an opportunity, they've made it really count," Rohit said after the semi-final. "All in all, the batting was superb, and that is the kind of template we want to bat with and move forward with."

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Their bowling, aided by the knowledge of home conditions, has been equally impressive.

Jasprit Bumrah has stifled batters both with the new ball and in the death overs while Mohammed Shami has