Struggling opener Shikhar Dhawan would be the focus in a spoilt-for-choice Indian group when it takes on world champion England in a three-match ODI collection beginning in Pune on Tuesday (March 23) with the guests eyeing a optimistic finish to their tour after Test and T20 debacles.
The collection is especially vital for the 35-year-old Dhawan, who did not make an influence within the first T20 in Ahmedabad earlier than warming the benches the remaining two video games which India received.
With the administration having loads of choices in (Shubman Gill) and out of doors (Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal) the squad for the opening slot, will probably be a litmus check for ‘Gabbar’ to show himself within the lung-opener. He is anticipated to open the innings together with seasoned campaigner Rohit Sharma, who was in blistering kind within the T20 collection and could be eager to hold on in the identical vein.
The ODI format provides Dhawan the time he must construct his innings. With a great deal of expertise beneath his belt, the Delhi batsman might properly return to kind come Tuesday.
For the Indian group, the collection could be an extension of its preparations for the T20 World Cup later this 12 months. The 50-over-format, basically, stays low precedence in 2021 with no main tournaments across the nook.
Skipper Virat Kohli was again among the many runs within the T20 collection towards England and he would look to hold the momentum into the ODIs. It has been some time since Kohli scored 100 within the format, his final and forty third one coming towards the West Indies (114 not out) at Port of Spain in August 2019.
He can be itching to make his good kind depend and finish the century drought. It can be anticipated that each KL Rahul, who is just not prone to characteristic on the high of the order, and Rishabh Pant, after turning issues round spectacularly for the reason that sensible exhibiting Down Under, could be a part of taking part in XI.
They would have an enormous position within the middle-order together with the redoubtable Hardik Pandya. There may very well be a toss-up between Mumbaikars Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav, for one spot within the taking part in XI. Yadav proved himself to be fairly a power-hitter within the T20 collection, notching up a blistering half century in his maiden worldwide look.
The bowling assault is anticipated to be spearheaded by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who picked 4 wickets within the T20 collection, and the brand new ball can be shared by Shardul Thakur. Thakur claimed eight wickets within the T20 collection.
Rookie pacer Prasidh Krishna, who has already caught the attention of Kohli, can be within the squad. Krishna loved a great Vijay Hazare Trophy marketing campaign for Karnataka, claiming 14 wickets in seven matches at a median of 24.5.
Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar are anticipated to be most popular over Krunal Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav. Also, a fit-again Pandya could be the fifth bowler, however it stays to be seen what number of overs he can bowl.
On the opposite hand, England would even be eager to finish the tour on a excessive after struggling defeats within the Tests (1-3) and the T20 collection (2-3). And for it to occur, skipper Eoin Morgan’s position with the bat can be very important.
The likes of Jos Buttler and the swashbuckling Jason Roy must fireplace in unison and all-rounder Ben Stokes must step up with each the bat and ball.
England pacer Mark Wood troubled the Indian batters together with his tempo and within the absence of an injured Jofra Archer, he must shoulder larger accountability together with Chris Jordan and the younger Sam Curran.
The spin duo of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid can have been unable to bother the Indian batsmen and it stays to be seen whether or not they have any new methods to alter the dynamics. Additionally, Ali can carry out the position of a pinch-hitter, if wanted.
All the video games at MCA Stadium, Gahunje can be performed in entrance of empty stands as India battles a recent surge in COVID-19 infections.
Teams (from):
India: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur.
England: Eoin Morgan (Captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Livingstone, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, Mark Wood. Covers: Jake Ball, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan.
