India won against England in the T20I series by 4-0 and now the series will now build towards the three-match ODI series, which will be their last preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy which will be starting from February 19. As both teams face each other in the 50-over format, the strategies and squad selection now comes into play as the teams prepare for the tournament.
Strong Core & Set Top Four For India
India’s combination looks stable at least for the top-order batting line-up. Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer will most probably remain the same after the splendid display during the World Cup. Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh look like the two frontline pacers and the core of the rest of the team may remain unchanged in this series.
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Middle Order & Spin Department: The Big Questions
I mean, where the real interest lies is in the middle-order and the spin bowling department. For India, there are enough spinning options. In the available squad, five can be considered for a spot. Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and the newest addition, Varun Chakravarthy-all provide something different and add to Gambhir’s options in terms of flexibility.
Spin Options: Who Gets The Nod?
Kuldeep Yadav is likely to be the most crucial player in the series as he is back to action after injury. Whether Gambhir would go for two all-rounders along with the spinners and expect depth from batting, considering that Varun Chakravarthy might soon debut in the ODI format also opening gates for him.
At present, Axar Patel appears to be a little more ahead of Jadeja in the pecking order as his bowling has been more consistent than Jadeja’s. However, Jadeja’s all-round capabilities and experience can still make him a contender for a place in the final XI.
Middle Order & Wicketkeeper: Very Close Contest
In the middle order, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya are going to fight for the slots available. Given Hardik’s all-rounding skills and being a third pacer, it is almost impossible to ignore him, so it is a toss-up between Pant and Rahul for the wicket-keeping role. Pant, with his aggressive batting, left-handedness, and the potential to accelerate quicker, may hold an edge over Rahul, who might feel hard done by with his steady form.
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As the series progresses, the spotlight will be on how Gambhir manages his resources and who ultimately earns a spot in the playing XI as India looks to perfect its lineup before the Champions Trophy.
India’s Predicted XI For 1st ODI
Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami
