Directions: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank.

Two decades apart, India again ran into Australia in a World Cup final and the result was the same. In the 2003 edition’s climax at Johannesburg, Ricky Ponting’s men were an ___(1)___ opposition. The latest summit clash at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium proved no different as Pat Cummins and his men remained equally ___(2)___. In both championships, the force seemed to be with India until the final hurdle. Sourav Ganguly then, Rohit Sharma now, are the anguished captains. The Men in Blue were in terrific form all through this World Cup, the batters and bowlers had this aura of ___(3)___, 10 matches were won on the trot and even Australia was vanquished in the early part of the campaign. To defeat all rivals in a round-robin league phase reflected India’s ___(4)___ but as Australia showed yet again, finals of multi-team ICC events throw up unique challenges. The men from Down Under have now won six World Cups and Cummins, their current skipper, has grown in ___(5)___. Sunday’s final on a sluggish pitch with dry spots affected India’s free-flowing batters. Even if Rohit, Virat Kohli, and K.L. Rahul scored, the others found their timings going ___(6)___. A total of 240 was not enough to test the Australians later at night especially with the dew kicking in.