Despite sealing a 2-1 series win against the West Indies, India’s men’s One Day International (ODI) team have more questions than answers right now. A little over two months before the 50-over ICC World Cup gets underway at home, the two-time champions are yet to figure out an ideal combination, let alone a winning one. Even though the Men in Blue will continue in the Caribbean for a five-match T20I series and then tour Ireland for another tussle in the shortest format, only two competitions now separate Rohit Sharma and Co. from the biggest tournament of the year.
A potential double-header against Pakistan before the Aussies come calling
The last time India and Pakistan met, the teams produced an all-time classic at the T20 World Cup in Melbourne last October Getty Images
Ahead of India’s opening World Cup game against Australia in Chennai on October 8, the squad coached by Rahul Dravid have a maximum of nine 50-over matches left to play. The first two of these will be at the Asia Cup, co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where India will play their preliminary round matches at Kandy. After inaugurating their Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan on September 2, India will take on Nepal two days later. Assuming they progress to the Super-4 stage (which they should), India will probably play all their games at Colombo, with three fixtures scheduled between September 6 and 15. Barring a big surprise, India should meet Pakistan once more in the Super-4, along with any two of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. If India reach the final, slated for September 17 in Colombo, they will be primed to win a record-extending eighth Asia Cup, which will also be Rohit’s second as captain after 2018.
Following their Asia Cup exertions, India will entertain Australia at home for a three-match bilateral series. Mohali, Indore and Rajkot will be the venues for the games to be held on September 22, 24 and 27, respectively.
This means that the selection committee, led by the newly installed Ajit Agarkar, will have ample opportunities to iron out the inconsistencies in team combinations and come up with a 15-man group that can make India world champions for the first time since 2011, when Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s troops conjured an unforgettable night in Mumbai.
Will SKY, Ashwin and Kul-Cha make the cut?
Suryakumar Yadav is one among a handful of players whose World Cup place is likely but not yet locked-in Getty Images
As of now, India’s opening pair seems set in the form of captain Rohit and Shubman Gill. Kohli picks himself at number three, while both K.L. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer should return from the sidelines in time for the World Cup. Suryakumar Yadav is the current favourite to edge out Sanju Samson for the other specialist middle-order batting berth, while Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are inevitable inclusions as all-rounders. Ishan Kishan is expected to be the back-up wicket-keeper to Rahul, but it is anybody’s guess whether Axar Patel or Ravichandran Ashwin (or both) get the nod as the bowling all-rounder(s).
With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah is all set to make his comeback in Ireland and will be the spearhead at the World Cup. Supporting him will be Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami. Shardul Thakur should also sneak into the first 15, but it is likely to be a toss-up between seamer Prasidh Krishna and spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for the remaining spots.
Currently placed third in the ICC men’s ODI rankings, India could well be the number one team on paper when the World Cup begins, given Australia’s lead at the top is just three rating points.
Once India have met the Aussies at the World Cup, their attention will shift to Afghanistan in Delhi on October 11, before the much-anticipated clash with Pakistan in Ahmedabad on either October 14 or 15. Following the mother of all cricketing battles, India will confront Bangladesh in Pune on October 19 and New Zealand in Dharamshala three days later. Another headline meeting will then arrive in Lucknow on October 29 when India face defending champions England. After that, it is off to Mumbai for a rematch of the 2011 final against Sri Lanka on November 2, before landing in Kolkata to go toe-to-toe against South Africa on November 5. By the time India play their last pool game against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on November 11, they will be hoping that their ticket to the semi-finals is already confirmed.
