With both teams having won two matches each, the last game of the ODI series between India and Australia, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, promises to be a thrilling contest.

While the batsmen have played a decisive role throughout the series, one bowler whose performance has stood out under testing conditions is Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson. With seven wickets from five games at an economy rate of 5.68, he has played a vital role for his team. The ‘biggest weapon’ in their armour as he has been called by his teammates, Johnson will be missed by the visitors as they take on India in the deciding game. However, they are prepared to cover for his absence.

While addressing the media ahead of training in Bengaluru, vice-captain Brad Haddin said, “We have got guys like Nathan Coulter-Nile and Moises Henriques, who have been on the sideline for the entire tour. They are ready to go. I think Nathan Coulter-Nile is known to a lot of you guys over here with the success he had in the Champions League Twenty20. We have got enough to cover.”

“Mitch has been monitored like every other player and we thought it was in his best interests to go home and get right for the two four-day games and put himself up to be available for selection for the Ashes. It's a very exciting way to end this series. I think it's a just reward that it's two-all now leading into the final because it's been an outstanding series so far,” Haddin said.

“These decisions aren't a shock to us. We have known about this for a while and as we have said before, all players are monitored on where they're at. We thought this was the best preparation for Mitch leading into the summer,” he added.

While they have used pace to their advantage, the Australians have even countered spin exceptionally well during the tour so far. Asked if they have been targeting a specific bowler, he said, “I think it hasn't been a conscious (decision) at first. It's just the way the game has panned out. I think with the way the field restrictions are at the moment, it allows free scoring during the middle of the game and the powerplays leading into the back end of the game. I think that's been a big reason why the spinners have gone for more runs than they normally would have.”

Speaking about the all-important game tomorrow, he said, “From our point of view, I think this is a fitting way to conclude this series. It's two-all going into the last game, so from our point of view it's a very exciting game.”

“It's a big game. These are the games you want to be a part of. It's obviously a high-pressure game with a lot of stake – the series is on the line. Guys can continue to perform well at this level and games like this do hold a lot of weight leading into a big series like an Ashes campaign,” Haddin mentioned.

Speaking about Australia’s good ODI record in India, the wicketkeeper-batsman said, “The conditions now aren't as foreign as they used to be. There is a lot of cricket played over here and the guys are understanding how to play, especially the shorter form of the game, over here in Indian conditions. From that point of view, we're set up for a very exciting game tomorrow in a two-all series.”