Australian legend Aaron Finch has made a bold prediction for the upcoming ODI series between Australia and India, forecasting a 2-1 victory for the home side. This series marks Shubman Gill's debut as India's ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma in a move signaling a long-term leadership transition.

Finch, speaking from Colombo during his commentary duties at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup, acknowledged the fierce rivalry between the two cricketing powerhouses. He anticipates a closely contested series, but ultimately believes Australia will edge out India. "It will be a great series," Finch said. "It always is against India and I think having Virat back in there brings out the best in him against Australia."

Despite his prediction favoring Australia, Finch expressed immense respect for the Indian side. "It's always a great battle when you look at it on paper as it's very evenly matched, but I'd say Australia (win the series) 2-1," he stated. "Not confidently though as India are a great side and it will just be a great series to watch."

The series will be a significant one for India, with Shubman Gill taking the reins as ODI captain for the first time. The return of experienced players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the ODI squad adds another layer of intrigue. Both Sharma and Kohli, having effectively transitioned to being one-format specialists focusing on ODIs, will be keen to make a mark. Their experience will be invaluable to Gill as he navigates his first series as captain. Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the vice-captain for the series.

Finch is also keen to see how Gill performs in his debut ODI series as captain. He believes that having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the squad will be a big advantage for the young captain. "Shubman has already shown what a good leader he is in T20 cricket and Test cricket, so I'm sure this will be no different," Finch noted.

An AI prediction suggests that Rohit Sharma could score between 130 and 160 runs in the series, potentially reaching his 500th India appearance in the 3rd ODI if he plays all the matches. Virat Kohli is predicted to score between 140 and 175 runs in the series, assuming he remains fit and participates in all three games.

The three-match ODI series commences on October 19 in Perth, followed by matches in Adelaide and Melbourne.