The last international game of the season, before cricket gets busy with the IPL, is upon Virat Kohli and his men. The task ahead is tough: India have to win the match to win the series against England, the No.1-ranked ODI team in the world. But this Indian team can do it.
Barring their first series of the season — ODIs in Australia — India have won all their bilateral engagements. Talented youngsters have effortlessly graduated to become match-winners. Every time they have been cornered, they have shot back with double force.
So on Sunday, there is little doubt that they will not yield an inch without a fight. They were clobbered in the last game, but India have it in them to return the treatment.
And it’s not just about a series win. The World Cup Super League angle is also there. England (currently on 40 points) will be able to extend their lead at the top of the standings, while a victory for India (on 19 points at present) would help the Kohlis move up the order.
A cracker of a game seems to be on the cards. More so because of the incredible ease with which totals well above 300 have been posted and even chased down. What exactly could be a safe total for the team batting first at the MCA Stadium in Pune? We don’t know.
Conditions won’t change drastically overnight, so whether it’s India or England, the team that wins the toss on Sunday should again be opting to bowl first.
Without doubt, the power-hitting ability of Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes in the penultimate ODI seemed to be of a different level altogether, but India’s bowlers too were a tad erratic. Dew wasn’t a factor, but the MCA Stadium wicket has eased out considerably as the games progressed, making batting a lot easier in the second half.
To talk of the home team, almost all their batsmen are in good touch. But bowling-wise, there’s work to do, especially in their spin department. Do they give one more chance to the struggling Kuldeep Yadav or bring back Yuzvendra Chahal?
With the bat, all-rounder Krunal Pandya aggregates 70 in his debut ODI series and is yet to be dismissed, but his left-arm spin has been hammered for 131 in the 16 overs he has bowled so far, yielding just one wicket. Should young Washington Sundar be given a chance then in Krunal’s place?
Speaking of the quicks, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Prasidh Krishna have done their bit. With Shardul Thakur not exactly being on fire, it will be interesting to see if the team management decides to bring back left-armer T. Natarajan. But then, Shardul’s a better batsman than Natarajan.
Moving on to England, their ultra-aggressive approach worked for the first time in the tour on Friday. However, they do need to draw a line between aggression and recklessness. For it was the recklessness of their established batters that cost them the first ODI.
The visitors, for sure, would like Sam Billings and Mark Wood to be back in the XI, particularly the latter in order to add some teeth to their bowling. But stand-in captain Jos Buttler said a decision on the duo would be taken based on what the team doctor and physio say.
Buttler’s own form too, both behind and in front of the stumps, have not been as per his reputation. Sunday will be a good day to address that issue.
Match starts: 1.30pm
