Steve Smith is shooting for a third-straight ODI hundred on Wednesday, but he may not even have the opportunity if captain Aaron Finch gets his way like he usually does at Manuka Oval.
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Fresh from two swashbuckling knocks himself, including a series-opening hundred at the SCG, Finch is returning to one of his happier hunting grounds in international cricket.
In four ODI knocks for Australia in Canberra, Finch has compiled 273 runs including two centuries, one of which came against India back in January of 2016.
Up against a dead-rubber Indian bowling attack which has been largely insipid in two international matches so far this summer, Finch is poised to plunder another big score at Manuka.
"The wicket's so true that it's got nice pace and bounce in it, once you get in you can really cash in, it's a beautiful outfield, it's a big ground," Finch said.
"You probably get more value for your shots through the gap, you pick up twos and threes more often than what you do on smaller grounds.
"On the flipside if you bowl well early with that extra pace and bounce in the wicket, you can do some damage. Both teams will obviously be looking to use that new ball really well."
Wednesday's sold-out ODI will be the first sporting event played at Manuka Oval since the women's T20 World Cup match between England and Pakistan on February 28.
It hasn't hosted a one-day international since December, 2016, when Australia thrashed New Zealand.
Since then it featured a Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka two summers ago, and more recently a T20 international against Pakistan.
In nine one-day internationals, Manuka Oval has proven to be Australia's highest scoring venue with an average of almost 545 runs per match in the 50-over format.
That number rises to more than 600 runs a game if the first two, low-scoring ODI fixtures at the venue are discounted.
Smith is also a fan of the Canberra venue, although hasn't quite enjoyed the success of his captain.
He averages 98 at the ground in ODIs having compiled three half centuries in three visits to the Manuka crease.
And last summer he managed an unbeaten 80 against Pakistan in his only international T20 innings at the ground.
The 31-year-old has started the Australian summer with a bang, notching back-to-back, rapid-fire hundreds to help Australia to an unassailable series lead.
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"It's been incredible, two 62-ball hundreds...to get one of them is bloody hard but to back it up again and play a pretty flawless innings striking it like that with very minimal risk I think just shows the absolute class of him," Finch said.
"He's worked so hard on his game, I suppose to rein it back in from IPL where he was probably trying to go a little bit too hard.
"He's stayed in his bubble and played absolutely beautifully. It doesn't have too many weaknesses when he's on.
"For someone like Smithy, once he's up and going he can be a hard man to stop.
"Regardless of what conditions you go to, if he's confident in himself and he's feeling good against a certain bowler, that's definitely playing into his hands."
India and Australia will remain in Canberra at the conclusion of Wednesday's ODI to prepare for Friday's series-opening T20 at Manuka.
The series will then return to Sydney for two more matches, before the Test summer kicks off on December 17 at the Adelaide Oval.
Manuka Oval will also host six Big Bash League fixtures this month, starting with the Melbourne Stars and Brisbane Heat.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
