One of many penalties of getting an ICC occasion yearly is that every one different collection develop into coaching grounds for the closest marquee world competitors. Bilateral cricket, as soon as the bedrock of the worldwide limited-overs recreation, hardly issues as matches now resemble testing websites for groups to agency up their combos.
The three-match ODI collection between India and England that completed right here on Wednesday is the newest instance of this phenomenon. And going by how the 2 groups fared, it’s India, which received 3-0, that will likely be mighty happy forward of the ICC Champions Trophy that begins subsequent week in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Previous to the collection, India’s prime concern was to plan for Jasprit Bumrah’s absence on the Champions Trophy. Whereas a like-for-like substitute for Bumrah’s genius is unattainable, there are actually indicators that diversified personnel will likely be trusted to deliver a various set of abilities and plug the outlet.
The think-tank will hope for Harshit Rana’s wicket-taking means, Arshdeep Singh’s death-bowling abilities and Varun Chakaravarthy’s long-enduring thriller to behave as cowl. Mohammed Shami’s return to full health can also be a shot within the arm as India will look to the premier quick bowler to breed the 2023 World Cup magic.
There have been additionally positive aspects on the batting entrance as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill roared again to kind with centuries, and accrued 122 and 259 runs respectively. Virat Kohli too made a half-century within the third ODI, elevating hopes that his finest kind could also be not far away. Shreyas Iyer was glorious in his position as a middle-order enforcer, totalling 181 runs from three video games at a exceptional strike-rate of 123.12.
The way in which head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit strategised in opposition to England gave a superb sneak peek into how they wished to strategy the sport. Be it the best way Rohit, Gill, Kohli and Shreyas batted or the attacking bowling adjustments that had been launched within the middle-overs, it confirmed that India was not able to let the sport meander.
Gambhir can also be a agency believer in having a southpaw up prime or within the middle-order. However having changed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal with Varun within the Champions Trophy squad, it would most probably be Axar Patel’s job – or presumably Ravindra Jadeja’s – to supply that selection. In actual fact, Axar has batted at No. 5 or No. 6 in 4 of his final 5 ODI innings and made scores of 44, 2, 52 and 41 n.o., proving that he’s very a lot the trusted man.
Printed – February 13, 2025 09:16 pm IST
