It is Advantage Team India

Well, Team India is 2-1 down, but the dominant mood is that they possess the upper hand at the moment, or have the momentum as the experts would say! But Team India needs to be cautious and would know that England would come back hard at them. After all it is their backyard, and a lot of pride is attached to playing infront of your own crowds; well almost.. many in the field are actually supporting Team India in large numbers, thanks to the large Indian diaspora in England.

This test match will be a closely fought one, and neither side would like to relent. England would like to ensure they shut out the Indian resurgence and Team India will be hoping to emulate themselves from the last test, and the great Sir Don Bradman's Team from 1936-37. (No team has been 2-0 down in a test series against England and won it from there) I am sure that is not playing on anyone's mind from either sides though. Just a small trivia from sports columnists.

So much conjecturing about England's team composition, and whether James Vince is worthy of playing ahead of the favoured and dependable Bairstow. Well in the end, Ollie Pope made way for Moeen Ali, and Sam Curran comes in for a slightly injured Woakes. Well for that matter, Bairstow was also injured, and perhaps will only bat. 

Instead everybody is wondering what would Kohli decide, and who would the Indian Team Management pick for the 4th Test. Kohli loves tinkering with his Test side, and has made changes in each of the Tests he has been Captain. There are some interesting choices in Prithvi Shaw, Karun Nair and Hanuma Vihari. Neither might make the cut, for this test atleast. Maybe for the dead rubber (if India lose this one), but otherwise Ravi Shastri and Kohli might not experiment in here. The only scare is Ashwin, and if he cannot bowl, then Jadeja should get a look-in. I am not such a big fan of an all pace attack, although pace bowlers have bowled with a lot of skill and heart. English batsmen have always had a weakness for spin, and even Jadeja, correction..Sir Jadeja is very effective if not deadly. 

All the best to both the teams, India would like to think they are the favorites walking into the ground, but England might have a better resolve this time around in not giving away an easy victory. The No. 1 Test side will need to stand up and deliver, otherwise the horror show from the first two tests might get replayed. Team India (especially the openers) need to guard against complacency. 

James Vince could open the batting?

While we cant wait for the next Test which begins at Southampton on 30th August, England team management must be pondering changes in their lineup. I am sure Kohli would do the usual and make atleast a change if not many changes (Who knows Prithvi Shaw or a Karun Nair or even a Jadeja plays). But what about England? 

Do they drop Alastair Cook? Jennings? Bring in Moeen Ali? Play Bairstow with a broken finger only as a batsman? Bring back Sam Curran? Play Vince instead of Bairstow?

Amongst all the changes above, the key decision is whether to play Bairstow or not? Everybody knows he is carrying a finger injury, this means they would ask him: atleast you can bat, right? Josh would take the gloves from you, dont worry. But wait!  Why play someone who is not 100% fit? I would play Vince or a Moeen Ali to throw some surprise at Team India. Vince was in good form in the last tour of New Zealand as well as recent county matches. Plus, he would be hungry to cement his place in the side for the long run given this opportunity to showcase his talent against the World No. 1 Test side, and improve upon his less than optimal Test batting average of 24.90. He got three fifties already, and England would do well to expect another one and maybe even better, a three digit score. Aye, James Vince must be itching to have a go. 

Well I am a romantic and was hoping maybe Ian Bell gets a last chance at redemption. It was not to be. This is perhaps the end of the road for him. And if Cook plays the way he has, an average of less than 20 of late, then he too probably will have to make way for someone new. Hey, Vince can open as well !! He did in the limited overs internationals, I believe. But I feel he would be drafted in at No. 4. which is on expected lines. He scores most of his runs from No.3 though, including the 147 he got batting from this position the other day for Hampshire. But could he open the innings instead of Jennings? That opens up an extra slot for a batsman or allrounder. England might be able to bring in a Sam Curran (who has batted well this series) or use Buttler at 4 which is the right thing to do given his form this series; Pope at 5 and the allrounders at 6,7 and 8 between Stokes, Woakes and Hoax, nah sorry Curran / Ali. This means that even if the top order (read the Top 3) fail to put their hands up, England have a long batting line up to fall back on. Dont know the Southampton pitch, but if it is dry, Moeen could be in the frame. The key to England's better fortunes is how well the Top 3 negotiate the new ball. If they are 100-0 or 100-1, then that would mean one of the openers has done the job. This is the key. England's top 3 need (we also need more runs from the Captain, Root) to summon all their patience and grind it out. I am betting Cook might just be around the corner to a good ol' fashioned Alastair Cook classic knock !!! 

India finally played like the No. 1 Test side

So much criticism for Virat Kohli's Team India and boy did they answer their critics and naysayers. The same England side which looked invincible appeared to be completely out of sorts. What were the Indian side munching on before the 3rd Test. Dont know what wonder pill was given to Team India, a dismayed Joe Roots must be thinking. He would now need the same pill for his team before the Southampton test. The test match went so well for Team India that they ticked all the boxes all at once. The openers contributed, saw the new ball off on Day 1, which was crucial; Rishabh Pant looked like he belongs to this level of Test Cricket in difficult trying conditions not just as a batsman but also against a swinging ball behind the stumps (he took some terrific catches especially the one which he took above his head while going away from the balls' direction), Hardik Pandya bowled and batted and fielded like a worldclass allrounder and showed what potential he has; Ishant Sharma got the nicks for a change...at times he has bowled well even in past overseas tours with not many wickets to showcase and impress...India did not miss Bhuvi, and Bumrah whilst being rusty in the beginning finished the match like a matchwinner! The whole test match was peppered with impact full performances, and barring Buttler and Stokes, England didnt have too many instances of the same.

In fact, England seem to have completely forgotten to derive inspiration and confidence from the first two test matches. A lot of wounds would have healed in the hearts of Indian fans. Team India will sleep well for the next few days, while Joe Root needs to now decide whom to pick and whom to drop. Would love to see some new faces. If they drop Cook, which would not be prudent, then suddenly they would need to seek replacement for atleast 3 slots: the two openers and Jonny Bairtstow's position in the middle order. (He fractured his finger during the 3rd Test on Day 3). There is also a murmuring in some corners for a test recall for Ian Bell (maybe he fits the bill for Bairstow's slot). If he is fit and in form, then we may see him walking straight back into the XI. 

Sam Curran did not do a thing wrong, and should be back as well. But the real worry lies in the batting unit, and if England are to win the next two, runs from Joe Root and Alastair Cook is a must. The top 3 need to contribute. Buttler should bat higher and I see him emerging as a top class batsman for England. 

Over to the next one !! 

Can we take a punt on Pant?

Before the third test at Trent Bridge, the dominating debate has been the method which Team India would adopt in countering the English, and the primary suggestions from all quarters have been to make changes to the seemingly floundering middle order. But, is that the main problem in the batting department, I beg to disagree (read my previous post). Changes are good, and Virat Kohli has tinkered with his Playing XI everytime he has walked out for a toss for a Test Match. Never in his last 38 matches as Captain has he retained his side, and chances are, may not do so going by the results in the last two matches. So who does he bring in? Is he going to take a punt on Rishabh Pant? Er..that rhymes...might turn out good eventually. England might be ill prepared for a Rishabh Pant. He might be useful, a la Dhoni in an aggressive avatar. We have missed Dhoni's service in the longest format and perhaps Pant was the logical successor after all !

Rishabh Pant has had a superlative IPL just months ago, and has struck form in the domestic circuit whenever has been able to have a go. Being a left handed batsman adds a new dimension to the middle order. Pant has a first class average of a little in excess of 54 with a strike rate of 95.24. So he is aggressive, and perhaps the perfect foil for Team India's tail. Age is also on his side, so he could be a long term option. The other options in Saha, Parthiv and Karthik are all moving towards the wrong side of 30s. The only thing that perhaps goes against him is the lack of experience! Is he ready? What if he fails? Well, as they say, if he is good enough to be in the side, why not the playing XI? I even recommend him to be picked ahead of Hardik Pandya. Pick an extra batsman in Karun Nair or retain Karthik and plant Pant at 7. Plant Pant...eh...that rhymes somewhat again !! England would be wary of Pant's aggressive overtones, and perhaps that might help the other batsmen and the team as a whole. I have not seen his wicketkeeping in this format, and even if he is a work in progress, so be it. Remember Dhoni in his early days? Those days he had more followers of his hairstyle than his keeping. Ofcourse, MSD is MSD. Wish he was still in the side to nurture a young keeper.

It would be wonderful if Rishabh Pant can replicate his first class numbers in the Trent Bridge test. He could be the answer to the perennial search for Dhoni's long term successor in the Test XI. 

Where are the Openers ?? What next..

Its been a while I took to blogging something on cricket, and well its been a while India lost a Test match so badly that people and fans alike are raising eyebrows and dabbling with solutions. After all, for a Cricket crazy nation like India, everyone seems to have a solution. 

India missed a trick by not taking a rookie opener on the English tour. I see a lack of planning here. I know that before the tour Murali Vijay was the automatic choice for the first opener slot. But he is not getting younger. He is 34. Dilip Vengsarkar retired at that age !! Now, I am not saying Vijay should think of retirement..he has been our bulwark at the top for a while now. People like him and Pujara are a necessity in the test side, where the idea in overseas conditions is to survive and allow the strokeplaying batsmen to take the game away from the opposition when the bowlers are seemingly tired. They are like Insurance Policies..It is precisely this reason Sachin Tendulkar was always shielded at No 4 or No 5, and strokemakers Ganguly and Laxman batted at 5 or 6, behind a Rahul THE WIDE WALL Dravid. The problem is not the middle order where i guess there would be some changes in a Pant or Nair. We ought to have taken an understudy to Vijay to the English tour. Perhaps a Prithvi Shaw or a Mayank Agarwal or even domestic run machines like Priyank Panchal or Faiz Fazal. Maybe a keen eye for talent would have also proposed a Abhimanyu Ranganathanparmashwaran Easwaran, A Easwaran in short. I am not such a big fan of technique in English conditions, yes it is important, but I guess it requires more grit to survive. The idea of a Dhawan and Vijay combination was ticking all the boxes: Left - Right combination, Dhawan could attack and Vijay could defend for long hours. But Dhawan perhaps started defending too much and Vijay was perhaps asked to play more balls. I guess, Vijay's success in the past hinged on how well he left rather on how well he played. He is fishing more now, showing more intent on scoring, and look at his scores now. Its a paradox. The most naive suggestion I could give Vijay today is to watch the ball and leave or let it go.  There is a hungry Kohli waiting in the pavilion to make up for the lost time (i hope he is fit for the Trent Bridge Test, and decides to play)

So well you might ask, what is the solution then? The worst solution could be to shove Pujara at the top, or drop Vijay. The best solution could be to ask the Top 3 to shoulder more responsibility, and perhaps an absent Kohli due to injury might just have this side effect, that is if Kohli decides to rest himself  at Trent Bridge (owing to a back strain). 

Contrary to media commentary, I feel the team is well oiled and perhaps still left with a lot of self belief in the tank. All is not lost, bring it on...the team must be saying to themselves !! After all, India is the No. 1 Test side, and you got to have it in you to have reached there at the first place. Kohli or no Kohli, the side can still pack a mean punch. Amen !

Focus on Rohit and Robin

Whilst we have a lot of changes happening on both sides, the entire focus of the BCCI and the nation would be on Rohit Sharma and Robin Utthappa. While Rohit hit a 111 ball 141 recently which may suggest he is raring to go, Robin has batted with a lot of ease and assurance at the top for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

The added role Robin plays is of being a wicketkeeper. He may not even be half as good Wriddhiman Saha or Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but is being looked at due to his stupendous run in the shortest version of the game. While we forget that Ajinkya Rahane is still in the team, only two out of Ajinkya, Rohit and Robin get to open the innings. If Robin is purely been slotted as a backup wicketkeeper batsman at 6 or 7 where Dhoni bats, then it may not be a great option. Uthappa can be more effective at the top and not in the middle order, although when he last played for India, he was batting in the middle order. Rohit Sharma too has come of age at the top of the order, although he started his India stint in the middle order. Rohit is more suited to the middle order, as he can pace his innings well like Rahane. So the middle order berth maybe a toss between Rohit and Rahane (if both play today ofcourse). It is unlikely that Uthappa does not play today. He is assuming the wicketkeeping duties for the last two One Dayers. Ambati Rayudu and Kedhar Jadhav providing backup if need be. The Indian team management would definitely be looking at these key players before the World Cup probables are announced.

Another interesting selection is of Karn Sharma. He adds to the impressive unfolding story of exciting new talents springing up from small towns and cities. Hailing from Meerut, his rise in the ranks has been steep ever since he caught attention in the IPL for the Hyderabad Sunrisers. The leggie has bowled miserly and has shown glimpses of genius in the IPL. He is zippy like Kumble and does not turn the ball square. But he can get you the breakthroughs. Remember we also had Piyush Chawla in the last World Cup, who is pretty similar to Karn. Piyush Chawla is infact a year younger than Karn, although Piyush was a teenage prodigy and entered into the international arena much earlier. Karn has however displaced another leggie and World Cup hopeful Amit Mishra. If Karn is even half as successful as he is expected to be, then the doors for Mishra are closed for ever. My reading into the recent selections for Australia and the remaining One dayers has been that the team management is focussing on younger talent which also translates into a better fielding side. So forget about the Harbhajan Singhs and Virender Sehwags. 

India still has to find that death bowler for the medium term, and one claimant to that role was Vinay Kumar. He is accurate with his slow balls and yorkers in the death and has been pretty effective for Karnataka and his IPL franchises. He needs to be given a go ahead of Dhawal Kulkarni. Vinay can rattle a rampaging batting unit with his slower ones and back of the hand stuff. The biggest upside in the quick bowling department this series has been Umesh Yadav. He has bowled with pace and bounce in this series and can pack a punch on tracks Down Under. Along with the wayward Varun Aaron, Team India for the first time perhaps will have two frontline genuine quick bowlers capable of bowling regularly in excess of 145 kmph.

For the Lankans, ofcourse it is about restoring pride and winning the remaining matches. But it is as much about finding the right combination in both batting and bowling. The return of Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal augurs well for Srilanka, although I do not understand the logic of resting Sangakkara. Mahela should bat at 3 in his absence to anchor the innings. If Mahela is allowed to open with Dilshan, then Srilanka may also try out rookie wicketkeeper (left handed) batsman Niroshan Dickwella who can bat in the middle order with Thirimanne, Chandimal and Mathews. Dickwella is a child prodigy and displaced Dinesh Chandimal into the Test Side. He may be a perfect replacement for Sanga. If he is good, why not give him more opportunities before booking his flight to Australia. The same holds true for Ajantha Mendis. If he is fit, play him and see how he responds to a batting unit which play spin very well. That would be the test of his character.

In summary, today's match would see better competition between the sides. India needs to guard against complacency. An early exit of the openers would mean a nervous time during the middle overs. Mathews would surely want a win or two under his belt for that feel good factor in the dressing room.

Cricket Utopia: Srilanka need not worry

Cricket Utopia: Srilanka need not worry: The very fact that I did not blog on the last few matches has been proof that there has been nothing exciting in the past week. Srilanka h...

Srilanka need not worry

The very fact that I did not blog on the last few matches has been proof that there has been nothing exciting in the past week. Srilanka have surrendered meekly to India on all the three occasions and India have not just batted better, but stamped their authority in fielding and bowling departments. What is refreshing to watch from the Indian fan's perspective is the healthy competition between World Cup hopefuls. On the one side Varun Aaron, Ishant, Umesh Yadav and Dhawal Kulkarni battle it out for the third and fourth seamer (possibly owing to conditions relevant Down Under), while on the other side we have some tussle between Jadeja and Akshar Patel.

Akshar has impressed every one with his ability to pick wickets in the middle overs and derail the opposition's run up to the slog overs. On all the three locations, he has picked up wickets and ensured Srilanka do not run away to a score in excess of 270. This is a invaluable contribution which i hope does not go unnoticed. With the large Australian grounds, boundaries at will may be difficult and a dangerous proposition. So it would be difficult to overcome a constant loss of wickets just before the slog overs. But you can not just write off Jadeja yet. He is a class act and should be in the mix of things. 

Inspite of scathing self criticism from Angelo Mathews after tame losses which have become boringly repetitive, Angelo would know they still have about 14 ODI matches to play after this series. This series after all was a stop gap arrangement and with quite a few fringe players in the playing XI, the Lankans are merely in experimental mode than in disarray. Ofcourse, the batting looks rusty and the only players missing from the lineup are perhaps Lahiru Thirimanne and Dinesh Chandimal. Dilshan has looked off-color and so has Upul Tharanga. Kusal Perera gets out even before he gets going. Tries too many shots at the beginning of his innings. Maybe he should take a cue from the openers from the opposing side - Rahane and Shikhar. Both are circumspect in the first 5 overs, perhaps the only time Srilanka look to be in control of things. Srilanka need to get some runs from their openers, fluent runs. Dilshan is 36, and Tharanga is not in his twenties anymore. Are there backups? For the Indians it looks nice and cosy with Rahane and Shikhar looking good and feeling confident after runs under their belt and a raring Rohit Sharma to join the ranks.

The biggest takeaway from the series for the Indians till now is the invaluable century from Ambati Rayudu. He was the only weak link in the batting contingent (given the amount of runs he has had and the roles he has played to win matches). With him amongst runs thanks to the selfless promotion by stand-in (and most likely future Captain) Captain Virat Kohli, the batting looks enviable. It however remains to be seen how we negotiate the bouncy Australian tracks and the humongous outfields.We will need good outfielders with quick legs and strong throwing arms.

With so many matches to go for the Lankans, it will be a matter of time before the old guns and the newbies like Perera start clicking together. Ofcourse Srilanka will need a lot of Malinga and Rangana Herath to move ahead in the World Cup. Without both these world class bowlers, Srilanka look half the bowling side they are. A Malinga over in the death, can actually cause death for the opposition !! lol.

Old Opponents

After the unfortunate departure of the Windies, Team India faces a new challenger before embarking on the tour Down Under. Both sides would be looking to give important match practice to some of their vital cogs, while India has also decided to rest their Captain. It means Virat Kohli leads the side, and Wriddhiman Saha comes as the gloveman in the side. Wriddiman being rewarded for his recent form especially in the IPL. But it would have been interesting to give a chance to Robin Uthappa who can keep wickets, something he has been doing for the Kolkata Knight Riders of late with reasonable success. His presence in the side would have meant no room for Murali Vijay, who has been a passenger in the last few series. With Rohit most likely to come back to reoccupy the opening slot vacated by him and partnering Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay looks likely to continue cooling his heels for some time.

For the Indians, its also the right time to check the fitness and form of the quicker bowlers like Varun Aaron. Varun can be an asset if he can keep up the energy and the accuracy, especially the latter which has been often lacking. He is the quickest bowler in the side, but speed is not enough to rattle international batsmen these days. You need nagging accuracy and the guile to out think the man with the willow standing on the other end of the 22 yards.

The Lankans are on a surprise tour, more or less, and would be under prepared. They would take the tour as a preparation for the larger goal. To reach the finals of another world event. The Lankans have been in more finals than most other sides since 2012 and they would know what it takes to be there. The old warhorses in the batting unit are still worth their money in gold. Between Mahela, Sangakkara and Dilshan is a mammoth experience of 1079 One Day Internationals which has yielded 32,625 runs for Srilanka with 51 tons between them !!! That looks like Guinness Book stuff !! But their stewardship will be nullified if they do not get valuable support from the younger generation. So the Tharangas, Mathews and Pereras would have to come to the party, otherwise it is going to be a one way traffic. Especially Mathews. 2014 has been a good year for Angelo, and he has amassed 700+ runs with an average of 60.25 with 6 innings of 50 or more.

In 133 career ODI matches, he has never notched up a 3 figure score, something he must be dearly wanting to have. The Indian pitches especially the one at Cuttack is a good opportunity to convert good starts into big scores.

The match is expected to be a run fest, and both teams will have to bat out of their skins. Another 27 year old, Suresh Raina, gets to play his 200th one day game for India, becoming only the 12th Indian player to be able to do so. The last Indian to achieve that feat was Harbhajan Singh. So it is no mean feat, inspite of the number of ODIs being played nowadays. Hats off to his fitness and his ability to carve a niche for himself over the years without any known Godfathers. In 171 innings, he has more often than not batted at 5 or 6 and his ODI average of under 36 is a testimony to this fact. Raina is also expected to cross another important landmark of 5000 career ODI runs during this series. He is 44 runs away, and this means only Captain Virat Kohli has more runs to his name than him in the present squad. Having already overtaken Navjot Singh Siddhu and Kapil Dev, two great stalwarts of the limited overs game, he is inching towards becoming a future legend.

Even though matches with Srilanka do not inspire the same emotion as maybe with Pakistan, Australia or England, but the Lankans are worthy opponents. They play spin well, so the usual tactics do not stand a chance. Indian quicks could be the surprise package in this series. Every speedster in the Indian side knows this is his chance to a ticket to the World Cup !

Even Stevens going into Dharmshala

After a brief distraction from the series due to the HudHud phenomenon and all the destruction, both the teams will like to refocus on the game ahead. The venue is the picturesque ground at Dharamshala in the lap of the Himalayas.

At 1317 meters above sea level it is bound to be windy and chilly by Indian standards during this time of the year.  This is the second One dayer being hosted here. The last one was in Jan 2013, where England got the better of India by 7 wickets, thanks to an unbeaten Ian Bell hundred.

India would remember that match and would keep in their mind to prepare for this match. They could only put a below par total (less than 230) on board which was easily overhauled by England.

India lost the No 1 Ranking to the Aussies, thanks to the last match being called off in this series. They played like a No 1 ranked team in Delhi prior to that and it was an inspired leadership from Captain Dhoni to help India claw back into the game from a hopeless situation. The teams have added interesting options to the squad. India have added Akshar Patel to the squad and Miller gets added to the Windies side. Both seem unlikely to play at Dharamshala, which should favour the seamers though; Unless Ambati Rayudu is rested and Akshar plays as an allrounder. Rayudu has been decent with the bat, but has not pulled his weight around. To cement his place he needs to get a big innings sooner than later. The Team Management is grooming him for the No 4 position at the moment. But is he up for the task? If Akshar plays, then he might also replace Amit Mishra as the second spinner. Akshar is a better bat than Amit Mishra but it all depends on what future role both are earmarked to play for Team India. If Akshar plays, it would be a spectacular rise for the Gujarat boy, who was an unheard commodity till as late as a couple of IPL seasons back. In his last two IPL stints he has been not only impressive but compelling with his rare confidence and bravado.

India now has a Kuldeep Yadav and Akshar Patel in the squad. If both do not play in the tournament, then why select them? Is India searching for a third spinner in the squad for the tour Down Under? Is that what MSD is mulling?

West Indies have looked surprisingly settled despite the embarassing loss at Delhi. Inspite of the absence of a Gayle (and a Lendl Simmons), the batting unit should look unchanged. What they are missing in Indian conditions is Sunil Narine. He is miserly with the ball and it is always nice to have a wicket taking bowler who is shown respect by the best of batsman in World Cricket today. Besides, you could use him intelligently at the death and he could be the difference between the sides in the end. I hope he is able to clear his bowling action before the World Cup. What Murali was to Srilanka, Narine is to the Windies today. Also, Marlon Samuels should not have batted so low in the order in Delhi. A man who got you a victory in the last match with a hundred, must be allowed to bat at his favourite position. He should be batting at 3 or 4. I sense he was disappointed with the way he got out, or the situation in which he got out. He would have definitely liked to come at 4 in place of Pollard. Not that Pollard did not justify his promotion, but you need to ensure some continuity.

India look likely to tame the Windies again, unless ofcourse if the Windies get to bowl first and pack off the Top 4 cheaply. In these conditions Taylor, Sammy and even Andre Russell might be potent in the first 15 overs. Would love to see how India handle the bowling. This will show how we are going to fare in seaming and swinging conditions later in the year and early next year.

Windies back to their old ways...

Alas, all that adulation for Dwayne Bravo and the spirit of the Caribbean is seeming misplaced. Chasing a gettable Indian total and at 170-2, Windies (or for that matter any side would have) looked like clinching another win and making it an embarrassing 0-2 for M/s Dhoni. But it was not to be. Some reckless batting (the usual Calypso style of batting we are used to seeing in the post-Vivian Richards-Greenidge-Haynes era) and tight spin bowling led to one of the more famous wins Team India has had in recent times. The Windies batsman were in a mood to leave early for some hot party in some nook of Gurgaon perhaps !!

The fact that India clawed back into the game is something Dhoni would be proud of, albeit in front of the home crowd against a team they are fancied to win against in all formats these days. After all, India are the defending World Champs. Nevetheless, this will give India (read Dhoni) the confidence in his team's abilities to come out, and come out victorious, from tight and seemingly dead-duck situations.

For the Windies, Dwayne Smith proved his class with a promising innings. Smith is a much improved cricketer (read batsman) from the days when he burst on to the scene as a bowling allrounder who could tonk the ball a long way. Those days (2003-2007), he used to bat at 7 or 8, and ended up getting out often, trying to hit out of the ground without any notable contributions in the dying moments of the match. Something what an Andre Russel or a Darren Sammy is supposed to deliver today. The IPL has surely resurrected his game and career. Not only has be looked dangerous and destructive, but has looked to stay at the crease, avoid getting out and hence pile on the misery for the opposition. Quite unlike most West Indian openers from the 90s and the last decade. I wish he had found his mojo a tad earlier. He is no longer in his twenties (He will be 32 in April next year), and the Windies might need him for a long time if they have to build a strong side around him and some others. He should be a force in the coming seasons and a key asset for the Windies in the upcoming World Cup. I personally believe that a side whose Openers are in the form of their lives, lend guaranteed success to their sides chances in all formats and conditions.

That is why I feel a Smith and a fit Gayle will be a deadly combination in the coming seasons. Only the Indians and perhaps the Aussies are the other teams to match the duo in terms of what they have to offer these days at the top of the order.

India tested out Umesh Yadav, probably to examine his form and fitness, and explore options for the tour Down Under. Umesh was decent with his pace, but was overshadowed by Shami Ahmed.

Shami Ahmed with his new found vigor after a long tour to England is refreshing to watch. Maybe his marriage in 2014 to the beautiful Hasin Jahan has helped !! His jadedness has vanished !!

After making his First Class debut for Assam in 2010 he has come a long way within 4 years. Not only has he leapfrogged every one else in the race (including the man he had replaced to get his first break in to the Playing XI - fellow Bengal quickie Ashok Dinda), but also surprised every one with his pace and wicket taking abilities. He is deceptively potent. Genial demeanor, but he is at you all the time. He is quietly confident about his abilities, and so is the team management including MSD.

Indian fans would have also heaved a sigh of relief to see Virat Kohli back among the runs, even if it was not his fluent best. Only if he had got a hundred, he and the fans would have declared him back in form. Such is his legacy over the last few years. He has averaged more than 47 in One Day Internationals since 2010. This means he is almost likely to score a half century every time he comes to bat !! In 2011, 2012 and 2013 he has perhaps averaged even more than 50. He and MSD would know, these averages mean nothing if you do not win matches. But arguably, India has been on top of the rankings and on the winning ledge of ODI games thanks largely to Virat Kohli's seamless and prolific batting in the last 2-3 years. He is 'The' Wicket for the opposition these days. If he scores a ton, India win hands down. Lets wish, he rediscovers his hundred scoring form before or during the World Cup. An ominous sign for all opponents.

Well now that India has won, this series is level 1-1, and India has the all important momentum. Seems unlikely they would squander it in the series now. I do not reckon the Windies stand any chance in the next duel. But then, this is Cricket !

India should look to plug holes and spring back

The last match result as mentioned in my previous post was not altogether unexpected for me. Windies looked far more hungrier and determined. India went mostly through the motions and it showed in their intent on the field and on the 22 yards. India fielded poorly, bowled average and then had a field day with the bat. 

The biggest concern for Dhoni would be, in my mind, the form of the ever so dependable Virat Kohli. He would like Virat to get back to form somewhere in the series before he pack his bags for a long sojourn Down Under which ends with the 'Big' tournament. I am sure Ravi Shastri would have given him a pep talk post the match.

India opened well with Ajinkya and Shikhar. Had Ajinkya not run himself out the end result could have been different. Shikhar still looks rusty and not as fluent as he would like to be. If he continues to bat like this, the selectors might start having other ideas for the World Cup. This is like a Pre World Cup practice series, and the selectors would like to see key players get back to form, and try out fringe ones. Murali Vijay is one player who must be waiting for his chance. His luck has run out of late and may be his new bearded look might help.

He can be an asset in subcontinental conditions, but can he be trusted for the World Cup? Why is he in the team at the first place. Robin Uthappa, a much improved version, and a much more hungry version is what we needed to infuse some energy at the top. He could have been the answer to push Shikhar. Murali is easily the 3rd choice, and will remain so for the series and for some time to come. And with Rohit making his intentions clear that he is 90% fit and ready to come back at the top, Shikhar is likely to lose out (and Murali would continue to be relegated as a fringe opener). Unless of course the team management thinks otherwise and would like to push for the age old tactics of a left and right combination to upset the bowlers' rhythms. 

This is also an important game for Ishant Sharma. The man suddenly is no longer in the starting XI of an Indian one day side. He would be nervous today and it is good for him. Ishant could be a vital cog in Team India's World Cup trophy defense plans. India cannot win the coveted trophy with a bunch of nothing bowlers.We have one consistent seamer in Bhuvi. We need another. Shami has bowled well in the death overs but remains expensive. Ishant brings with him the potency of pace and bounce. In Australia he could be a shotgun with a purpose.

From the Windies standpoint, all their IPL gains showed in the match. They now know what it perhaps takes to win in Indian conditions. That is a dangerous ammunition to have against Team India. Almost half the side consists of players who (Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder and Darren Sammy) are seasoned IPL players now and know the conditions more than any other foreign players. Dwayne Bravo is a wise horse and is a street smart captain who knows his limitations. Playing for Dhoni he would learned quite a few tricks. I give him full points to lead a Windies side to victory (sans Gayle and a banned Sunil Narine) to victory against a full strength Indian side at Kochi (which is no longer an IPL venue). His captaincy was inspired and I would be excited to see how he leads the side rest of the series. If he can string together another set of wins, the Windies would have nailed a vital issue in their one day cricket.

I expect India to bat much better, and perhaps win this for sure. But, Dwayne Bravo is the man. Love his dance moves !!! Hope he gets plenty of opportunities to do some moves today !! lol

Tame Series..

In the midst of a hangover of the recently concluded Asian Games where Indian athletes diverted some attention from the Champions Trophy, comes another series. All headlines claim, what a meaningless series in the wake of a looming series Down Under and an impending World Cup where India are defending champions with the same man at the helm - Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

But, as Dhoni said, he would like to believe that there are plenty to prepare and look forward to. A Windies unit without Gayle and Narine looks half the side on paper, but they have interesting names like Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo and Pollard to keep the interest alive. 

For Team India, the only worry would be around the opening slot in the immediate term. Ajinkya Rahane gets another go at the top where he did make the right noises in England and looks like the correct option to open in Australia-New Zealand as well. He has done well in the domestic season and been prolific at the top for the Rajasthan Royals, the IPL franchise he plays for. However, I could not have been more disappointed at the exclusion of Robin Uthappa. He has been among the runs after an overhaul of his batting style and approach. Kolkata Knight Riders owe a lot to him for the 'coveted' Champions Trophy and the IPL crowns. Maybe he is in the mix for the World Cup, but with Rohit Sharma sure to come back to the Playing XI (and maybe at the top of the order) whenever he is fit, the opportunity for Robin to make the starting XI is remote. Unless ofcourse something dramatic happens. Like the Windies beat India in the series. Which maybe likely if they bat better than us. 

This could happen in the wake of 2 of the Top 3 not in great touch. Shikhar Dhawan is a default opener now for Team India. There is no competition in the form of a Gautam Gambhir or anyone else for the series. Unless Ajinkya or somebody gets unfit Murali Vijay will be warm the bench for the better half of the series. Shikhar has struggled and has not looked the force that catapulted him to the opening slot. He has displaced a hungry and determined Gambhir out of the side. Same curious case vis-a-vis Virat. He has been so impressive and prolific since 2008, that the fans expect him to score hundreds and fifties every match, otherwise he is labelled out of form !! If Shikhar and Virat continue to struggle and Rahane and Raina have an off day, Windies could steal a win !

Kochi is likely to be a belter (God willing, i.e. if it does not rain), and the team that bats better wins. With no Sunil Narine, the onus to win the game for the Windies lies with their power hitters. Pollard, Samuels and Smith. If they come good, they have a chance. Add Sammy and Russell and you may have a smart pack with enough ammunition to upset Team India.

Dhoni knows this, and he would know that any slip up at the top of the order could mean exposing the middle order. However, the batting unit as a whole is well oiled and high on confidence after the English exploits. With Amit Mishra back and eager to impress, Windies should struggle against spin. I guess the way both teams play spin will be the difference in the scores.

I see a comfortable win for Team India at Kochi. It has been a happy hunting ground for Team India, and will continue to be like that.

India thrills in the shorter version: Several gains

Despite losing the last match, the T20 match at Birmingham yesterday, India would leave England on a high. India give priority to ODI wins and they would be mighty pleased with the outcome of the ODI series, and they definitely made a match of the uphill chase in the lone T20, albeit not being able to surmount in the last step. England on the other hand would console themselves that atleast they saved the day by clinching the Test series coming from behind. The back to back test wins was the only high for the English team and Captain Cook. England has always looked to unfairly shun limited overs cricket for a while now. I would certainly like to know what difference would the presence of a Broad, Bresnan or a Luke Wright or Bopara have made. England would have looked more potent atleast on paper. Cook opens for England till the World Cup and perhaps is the best choice to lead them. I would not write them off yet, due to their bowling options. England need a blistering start alright, but they also need solidity at the top. Cook is a solid old fashioned ODI bat and his stodgy batting at the top, long made obsolete by the likes of Jayasuriyas, Tendulkars, Sehwags, Haydens, Gilchrists, Gayles, et al. will help England lay solid platforms for the strokemakers down the order. England have flirted with the Am-Wham-Thankyou-Ma'am approach at the top in the shorter version with the likes of Craig Kieswetter, Luke Wright and others with limited success. Alex Hales (and perhaps Jason Roy, if he is in the scheme of things for the WC) still provide that option for England. Perhaps England can also open with Bopara as the pinch hitter. His hitting abilities are grossly under rated. Going by what Arjuna Ranatunga reasoned for Kaluwitharana and Jayasuriya when they were pitching in with short quick innings of 20s and 30s batting at 6 or 7 for Srilanka in the 90s. If one can make a 10 ball 25 batting at 7 in the dying overs, what can he do if he batted at the top getting full 50 overs to bat. And everyone knows what deadly effect the duo had on world cricket, and an everlasting effect, changing the way One Day cricket is played. Cook can perhaps reinvent himself at No 3. a la Gambhir or Ganguly.

Plenty of positives from the tour for India though. They have a batting unit that is buzzing with energy. The batting success rubbed on the ground fielding which was electric and effervescent. The bowling department was doing well, with the only concern being the death bowling. India are yet to find a Malinga in their ranks. (although Malinga is so unique that you may never find someone again so menacing and accurate with yorkers) I feel a fully fit and hungry Zaheer is the closest answer to that. India have kept Zaheer hungry of late, and whenever he is back, he would be eager to impress. His fitness is the key to India's bowling woes. He is a clever operator and could bamboozle many a batsman in the death. Add his experience Down Under and he becomes a matchwinner for India.

Coming back to the positives for India. India look settled in the batting department. Rahane and Dhawan open with Kohli, Raina and Dhoni to follow. Jadeja and Ashwin should be the spin workhorses for the middle overs. India's ability to restrict oppositions lies in their hands. The home series with the West Indies looks more of a disturbance to the WC preparations. It would be interesting to see the selection for that series. Would they bring in fresh replacements and preserve the best XI, or keep playing the best XI and in the process expose them to opportunities to get injured or become jaded and rusty (The England tour has been a long one, 5 Tests followed by 5 One dayers and a lone T20) I bet some players (like Bhuvi) need to be rested for the WI series. I also see a Yuvraj, or a Manoj Tiwary and even Robin Uthappa coming in for that series. All three vying for one of the 2 unsettled spots in the squad. The lone middle order berth and the backup opener's slot. The middle order slot is left vacant by the sudden success of Rahane at the top. He looks to be the best bet to open in Australia. The contenders for the spot left vacant for him at 5 or 6 are many. Yuvraj Singh is my favourite. (But then there is a lot of heart in that pining; Is he in form and the kind of form that would warrant a place in the playing XI? Suspect.), Ambati Rayudu? (He is young, eager to impress, has been waiting in the ranks for a long while, and has done well in England albeit on flat sub continental like pitches), Rohit Sharma (the most likely guy to get the nod. He is a man who when on song can be a matchwinner. He can hold and hit and is difficult to dislodge) or Manoj Tiwary (He is talented and with whatever little opportunity he has got has impressed, plus he can bowl spin too as can Yuvraj, Rohit or Rayudu) The other position which looks unsettled is the third or backup openers' slot. Gambhir and Sehwag look unlikely to hang around in the WC squad for that. Murali Vijay is an option certainly and he would like to impress in the West Indies home series. But then again, he is known to be a big hitting lion only at home and not very effective elsewhere. Robin Utthappa is an option, provided he improves his consistency. His strike rate was never a problem. He could also play in the middle order as he has done for India in the shortest version. India would also like to consider Parthiv Patel. He is a backup keeper (along with Wriddiman Saha and the new kid Sanju Samson) to Dhoni and could double up as a backup opener. He is an aggressive hooker and puller and a expert keeper. He has a big heart and doesnt chicken out on Big Match days. I expect him to be in the frame of things. With the Indian batting ticking all the boxes, suddenly there seems to be no need for discussion on the Parthivs and Sehwags and Yuvrajs of the world. 

The bowling needs to improve, but the biggest gain from the entire tour has been Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. He has been the spearhead for a majority of the tour, bowling miserly at the top and getting crucial wickets. He will be an asset Down Under. Shami impressed in the ODIs but he has competition. Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron and Mohit Sharma. He would know that Zaheer is aiming to make a comeback. Things are tight, and time will tell who remains fit and hungry by the time India reach Australia. The spin department looks settled and Jadeja and Ashwin look like they would carry India's middle over workload on their shoulders with support from the 'batting allrounders' like Raina, Yuvraj, Rohit, Rayudu or even Tiwary.

Indian team will be heading back to India in 'high spirits', pun intended. Time to look towards a more tame series with the Windies. Welcome to the Pollards and Gayles swashbuckling Windies style of cricket.

England should expect no mercy from India

Dhoni is hungry and England are on the mat. If I would have been him, I would have gone all out to complete a whitewash. It would give you such a high after a near disastrous Test series against the same opponent. 

England are likely to have the same lineup. The problem is not the lineup but the application. England as I said in my last blog must bat well in the middle overs to be able to give themselves any chance in the death overs. Their batting is the key to the result. If they bat well (which they should, after all the failings and flak, and a flat pitch expected at Headingly with little or no cloud cover) I predict this could be a high scoring game. The onus shall be on the middle overs again. Bell is out due to injury, so a lot of responsibility rests with Ballance, Root and Morgan. The trio will have to show some gumption and ensure that the likes of Jadeja, Ashwin & co. do not force a similar result again. 

Again, England have a matchwinner at the top, and their woes is partly because he has unexpectedly not fired. He has an aggregate of 88 runs from 3 outings with an unimpressive average of under 30. A couple of 40+ scores in this series is lot less than what was expected from him. Once he is set, he needs to be around and push the accelerator. Something that England would like him to do, so that there is less pressure on the struggling middle order. The teams are staring at a flat pitch this time, and it is the time for Hales to come to the party. I expect England to perform much better than they have fared till now in the series.

Dhoni is not known to tinker with his winning XI, even for dead rubbers like this. But the sudden rise in faith of Rahane's suitability at the top means there is a void to be filled up in the middle overs. And you have a young 19 year old Sanju Samson to try out. It would be a good game to give him his debut and valuable international exposure. The lad has a first class average of 43+ and has 4 centuries to his name already. It will be a waste if he ends up not playing. With so much cricket to be played in the near future including the World Cup, it would be a good idea to blood youngsters. Rohit Sharma should be able to come back into the middle order, but he has been an inconsistent bloke. In the bowling Karn Sharma could get a game after a noteworthy performance in the practice game in England. He has an outside chance to play if Ashwin is rested. I do not expect Umesh Yadav to get a game though.

Dead Rubber it is, but expect plenty of boundaries and a run feast !! Sit back and enjoy.

England decimated within 31 overs !!

So much was expected from England, but India is truly on top of their game, and with spin friendly pitches England had no chance. By the time Ashwin came to bowl, England were 3 down and Morgan and Root were on the backfoot. A spinner loves to bowl when the new ball bowlers have done the damage. England never really got going and the late flourish never came. Moeen Ali did leave an impact but that was simply not enough. After restricting England to an under par score India cantered home without any loss. Rahane gone only just before victory. Dhawan got an important innings, more importantly remaining unbeaten till the end, which should help his confidence and do a world of good to Team India. A settled opening pair is the best thing to happen for any top notch side. For England though, the problem starts from the top.

There has been a lot of clamor for Cook's place in the shorter version due to his scoring rate and his limited success of late. But England need not be able to look beyond Cook till the World Cup atleast. Firstly, there is no one pushing him for the top job. Morgan is struggling. Pietersen is out of favour. That leaves England with only one alternative - Stuart Broad. I am not a fan of Stuard Broad the Captain though. England need fresh thought. Secondly, Cook has had a prolific career over the years, and if he holds one end up, England do have a worthy plan to build the innings around him, Bell and Root while the stroke makers up the ante.

The worthy England captain in my view would have been Mr 'Swagger' Pietersen. He inspires awe around the world and is a matchwinner. He would walk into any limited overs side. Unfortunately for England, he is out of the gambit. With the present set of choices with England, they are doomed in the World cup. Changing the captain hence does not help. 

Middle Overs hold the key for Tuesday's Match

India go into the next match 2-0 up and threaten to bag another one on present form and momentum. England will have to come up with something dramatically different for this encounter. For instance, bat well through the middle overs. The spinners Ashwin, Jadeja & Co have ensured India get an iron clasp of the game during the middle overs, often leaving no room to play strokes and eventually England succumb. This has meant very little contribution from the likes of Bell, Root, Morgan, Buttler and the allrounder brigade. 

I would expect some changes in the middle order for England. Who will it be? Bell? Morgan or Root? Bell brings in experience. Roots has been among the runs in the Tests, but then this is a different format and every games you start afresh. Morgan is an asset with his big hitting and can gallop to a catchy scoring rate in no time despite a slow shaky start. England need a big one from one of these 3 guys in the middle. If either is going to make way, it would be for Gary Ballance. Ballance has been a mainstay for England during the recently concluded Investec Test Series with India, but hasnt cemented his place in the shorter version. Will he grab his chance with both hands? On recent form, i bet he will. 

Moeen Ali also becomes an automatic choice for the allrounder slot ahead of Ben Stokes. Although England have never really relied on a spinning allrounder, especially while playing in England and playing against a subcontinent side like India, who can play out less than spectacular spinners half asleep. Moeen is no Swann mind you. Barring recent exceptions like Samit Patel, England have always had more illustrious allrounders who were all pace bowlers. If I read the game correctly, Moeen Ali should make an impact with both bat and ball tommorrow. He must be eager to perform and will have to once again silence his naysayers. Moeen Ali will bring that uncanny wicket taking ability of Jadeja into the England side, although Tredwell is the better spinner of the two.

In my view the slower bowlers on both sides bowling during the middle overs will hold the key in tommorrow's match. So Ashwin, Jadeja, Tredwell (if he plays) and Moeen Ali hold the key to the match. A dry pitch should favour the spinners even more. 

For India, everything is going right for them now. And if Mohit Sharma is cleared to play in this encounter, then Dhoni gets his best XI on the field. If Mohit is unable to take the field then it is a toss between Dhawal Kulkarni and Umesh Yadav. Dhawal is a similar bowler, but Umesh Yadav has got pace. His present form though is a mystery. If Mohit has a specific role to play, then like for like, Dhawal should get the nod ahead of Umesh. Period. Expect no further changes. Dhoni is not known to make unnecessary changes. 

Elsewhere in the cricket world, Elton Chigumbura guides Zimbabweans home against the more fancied Australian side with a life saving partnership with Prosper Utseya. My hearty congratulations to the entire Zimbabwean team and their families. It is a day they all will cherish all their lives !!

India scurry past England and make it 2-0, looking for a whitewash

It is the same story for England in the ODIs as was for India in the Tests. The Batsmen just do not seem to be clicking as a unit. One would have expected more out of the likes of the 50-over specialists like Morgan and Buttler. 

Bopara was missed! I mean yes Buttler batted at 6 for England yesterday, and he is a great prospect for England. And Bopara perhaps would have slotted at 7 had he been around in place of Stokes. Ben Stokes is hugely talented alright, but Bopara has a better strike rate and a much better average of 31ish against Stokes who averages under 15, which is nothing to be proud of. Plus, the biggest advantage what Bopara brings to the table is the experience of playing 108 one day internationals across the globe. By now he and Bell should have been the spine of the team. But then this is England and one dayers are still looked down upon, and still do not get the same importance as Tests in England. It looks to me that winning the tests against India was everything England wanted out of this series. But a champion side needs to win in all formats, lest bad form and vibes affect their team in their favorite format. As a result, Englands' sedate yet solid start at the top by Cook and Hales was squandered away. A good side would have notched up 275+ after that kind of start. 

But unfortunately for England the pitch was 'Made in India' and Ashwin and Co. made full use of it. Dhoni must have been delighted. You seldom catch him smiling behind the stumps, but he did so on more than couple of occasions. Why wont he? This was a complete performance and the horrid days of the test losses seems like distant memory. Dhoni would like to believe all is well, atleast in this format, and India look well prepared for next year's world cup.

But the caveat is that one or two performances do not mean ever lasting success. India are still unsettled with the their opening partners. Rohit has been inconsistent of late, and is injured. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the injury and how fast he proves his form and fitness before the World Cup. Shikhar Dhawan has looked out of sorts, and his lack of runs means India have never started with a 100 run partnership at the top for some time now. Vijay has not opened in this format for a long time, although his big hitting exploits in the IPL are well known.

But I feel Rahane is the best choice to open in Australian conditions. He is technically sound, and scores at a pretty ominous pace. If Rahane plays well in subsequent matches in England, Dhoni needs to ponder whether he has a better option in Rahane than anyone else to open in Australia later this year and next year. Rohit can go back to the middle order, and India have a lot of options in the slot vacated by Rahane in the middle order if Rohit flirts with inconsistency. Rayudu, Binny and possibly even Yuvraj Singh and Manoj Tiwary. And with Sanju Samson waiting in the wings under a rich vein of form, middle order options are multifarious. 

Mohammad Shami has looked fresh and that is good for India. He has been pacy, nasty and accurate. Which means he has kept Umesh Yadav out of the side. Yadav does warrant a look in, once India seal the series with another win. India may need him in Australia. And the team managament would surely like to have all guns well oiled before departing for Australia. 

I am also disappointed with the way Bell and Morgan have played in the tournament. Both have got out and would feel unlucky on both occasions, but they need to fire as the senior lynchpins of the side. In the absence of the mercurial Pietersen, if England have any chance at the WC next year, these two have to be in good shape. Both can play the big innings and Morgan can be deathly for any opponent in the dying overs of the innings. If the two results have been so lopsided so far for England it is because Morgan has not been able to deliver.  I bet Morgan is itching for a big innings to silence his critics and stake his claims for the captaincy just before the World Cup. England are better served under him for the shorter version. Let the likes of Hales and Co. bludgeon at the top. Bell, Ballance, Root can join in to accumulate and consolidate and then the late blitzkrieg by Morgan, Buttler, Bopara and Jordan is the ideal recipe for England's success next year.

Even the media must be a little weary reporting about the turmoil about Ravi Shastri's appointment and speculations about who calls the shots within the team now. So some action on the field would be a welcome aberration to all the speculative analysis.

Focus back on the teams. Alex Hales will be the focus when England bat, especially when England bat first. Going by his recent form in domestic cricket, especially the shortest version, he looks likely to carry England home on his own. And with India's batting form suspect barring exceptions like Dhoni, England looks good to win the first (albeit second fixture) match of the series.

For Team India, knowing Dhoni does not like to throw too many surprises, Dhawan and Rohit should open and are expected to flounder at the top. If Kohli comes to the party then maybe India may post a total in excess of 275. Otherwise, it is left to chance. Such is Kohli's influence in the 50 over format. Rahane bats at 4 and Raina at 5. And yes, Jadeja at 7. There might be surprise selections in the bowling department (influence of Mr Shastri ??)..Maybe a Dhawal Kulkarni or Karn Sharma gets game. But if Dhoni is indeed the boss as Shastri says, then both will not play.

A Prelude to World Cup preparations for India

India is past the horrendous journey of the test series, and it is time to expect better results from the team due to the change in the format. After all, India are the reigning World Champs and would be returning to the World Cup arena next year to defend their title albeit in hostile conditions in Australia and New Zealand. The World is watching them !! Well they already have had a taste of New Zealand recently where they could not convert opportunities and lost close matches. And the present series in England gives them a good chance to tinker and play around with their options especially with the batting. 

India has opened with Rohit and Dhawan and of late both have been found out of sorts. It is time they start firing and stop gifting away their wickets. Virat Kohli can not always bail the team out. Virat's own form was suspect in the test series, but this champion lad has mastered the art of building an innings in the 50-over format. He showed welcome signs of return to form in the practice game last week with a well made 70 plus score. And so did Ambati Rayudu. Will Rayudu get a chance in the playing eleven needs to be seen. Raina should definitely get a look-in and Jadeja is a favourite to start off as the No 1 spinner in the side. So it is a toss sadly between Rahane and Rayudu. India might need the services of both, should the top half meekly surrender. 

Ashwin has been a mainstay in the spin department since the last World Cup, but that was a long time ago. But he is no longer a spearhead. Maybe the opposition has found a way to work around him. So it would be interesting if Dhoni rewards the rookie Karn Sharma with a debut. Karn was impressive in the practice game, with 3 scalps, albeit all lower order batsman of a county side. But he comes into the squad in a rich vein of form, and the idea of fielding a side on a day is to field the best XI. So in my view, Karn needs a look in. Will Mr Shastri have a say in this? I would also be excited to see what Umesh Yadav can conjure up especially if he opens the bowling at the expense of Shami Ahmed or maybe Mohit Sharma. Bhuvi opens the bowling for sure, but who shall partner him?

England have their own interesting set of options. Moeen Ali has been in unputdownable wicket taking form in the test series, while being decent with the bat. Will he be rewarded for the same with a sustained run through the one dayers? Time will tell. Cook is a defensive captain and chances are he would not be looking too far in the future. But, Moeen is a spinner, and just like India, England think tank will also be looking towards preparing for the next year's World Cup. This means they would like to groom Stokes, Woakes and even Bopara (if he would have been in the side). I really wonder why he was omitted. He has been in great form whenever he has donned the English blues and a few times played the lone hand at the death. He is the perfect no 6 for England.

I am excited to see Alex Hales at the top of the order. He will be a dangerous batsman and India needs to get him early, because if he gets going, England are sure to post a 300 plus score on board. Ballance should get a game at 3 or 4, and that leaves Bell at 4 or 3 or maybe even 5 if Eoin Morgan wants to play up the order. Buttler is a certainty and then the flurry of allrounders.

It looks like an interesting duel in the 50 over format, and unless India bat like the champions they are, and their 'stars' bat even 50% of what they are capable of, India will struggle in this leg of the tour as well.