DUBAI, Feb 19:
After a tumultuous cricketing season, India faces a crucial challenge in the Champions Trophy, with their opening match against a formidable Bangladesh posing pivotal questions for the team.
These queries are alarming even for a tournament favorite like India. Can the bowling squad cope with the absence of injured star Jasprit Bumrah? Will Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma return to peak form? Can young talents like Shubman Gill handle the pressures of an international competition and perform consistently?
Given this context, the ICC tournament comes at a critical time, as ODIs are a comfortable domain for both seasoned players and emerging stars in the Indian lineup, and they’re keen to make a strong impression.
This need is essential from both a team and individual standpoint.
It’s fair to assert that Kohli, Rohit, and even head coach Gautam Gambhir—despite being new to the role—are under pressure following the aftermath of disappointing results against New Zealand and Australia.
Nonetheless, there are some positive indicators. Captain Rohit scored a century recently against England, and Kohli contributed a half-century, while Gambhir guided the team to dominant victories of 4-1 and 3-0 in T20Is and ODIs, respectively.
Gill stood out as the player of the series, notching two fifties and a century in three ODIs against England.
However, the road ahead in the Champions Trophy is considerably tougher compared to a cozy home series.
Opponents like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in Group A are significantly more motivated than the seemingly apathetic England they just battled, and a single defeat could drastically reshape the league stage.
While India has showcased a strong brand of ODI cricket recently, some selection dilemmas must be addressed before their clash with Bangladesh. The first question revolves around KL Rahul’s batting position. Will he occupy his most lucrative No. 5 slot, or will he bat at No. 6 with Axar Patel batting ahead of him?
Rahul had begun at No. 6 during the initial two matches against England before reverting to No. 5 in the final one-dayer.
It’s likely that the management will remain flexible and make decisions based on the match situation.
Nevertheless, achieving the right bowling balance poses a greater challenge, particularly due to Bumrah’s injury.
There will be a decision to make between Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana as the new-ball partner for key pacer Mohammed Shami, who needs to elevate his performance.
While Rana has had impressive outings, showcasing the ability to trouble batters with speed and bounce, Arshdeep is currently favored to share the new-ball responsibilities due to his left-arm angle and bowling variety.
Additionally, India is expected to field three spinners with Hardik Pandya as the fast-bowling all-rounder.
However, a decision needs to be made regarding the third spinner, competing between left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.
Based on recent form, ‘mystery spinner’ Chakravarthy may get the nod, although Kuldeep demonstrated his readiness by outsmarting several well-regarded batters in the practice nets on Tuesday.
India can take some solace in knowing that Bangladesh faces its own challenges, grappling with the absence of key players like Shakib Al Hasan.
Nevertheless, India cannot afford to underestimate Bangladesh, given their history of being a thorn in India’s side during global tournaments.
TEAMS
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Bangladesh: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
Match starts at 2.30 pm IST.
