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Business News/ News / Business Of Life/  A dry run for the cricket World cup
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A dry run for the cricket World cup

The Indian cricket team has to gear up to defend its ODI World Cup title next year. The forthcoming New Zealand tour is an opportunity to prepare for this

Raring to go: (from left) Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have currently fixed their spots in the batting line-up. Photographs: Anesh Debiky/Gallo ImagesPremium
Raring to go: (from left) Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni have currently fixed their spots in the batting line-up. Photographs: Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images

OTHERS :

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has his priorities right. On the tour of South Africa, the Test series was of vital importance, so his young team got down to acclimatizing themselves, using the short One Day International (ODI) series as practice. And they did well to do so, putting up a tough challenge for the Proteas in the two Tests that followed, though they lost the series 1-0 after two poor sessions on the last day of the tour.

Even so, this team’s learning curve saw a steep upward curve post the transition period. And it can only get steeper as the onus in the forthcoming tour of New Zealand shifts from Tests to the ODI arena. This is the time for the Indian team to look to gain experience ahead of their World Cup title defence next year.

Settled squad

There are always a few permutations and combinations possible in every team selection irrespective of the format, but team India bears a settled look on the home stretch to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia-New Zealand. It is a little too early to start making final plans for that tournament, yet the preparations have to begin—the selectors and team management have to zero in on 30 players, a pool to choose their final 15 from, in this year. The good news for the Men in Blue is that they may not need a pool of so many players, for the team’s core already looks set. Of the 16-member squad that has flown to New Zealand for the tour starting Sunday, at least 12 players should be able to retain their places next year, lending consistency to Dhoni’s aspirations of a successful title defence.

Consistent combination

It has been amply clear for some time now that India will look to deploy five bowlers in the ODI arena as their resources in the part-time bowling department have slowly dried up. That has been partly due to the change in rules over the last two years as well as the decline of Yuvraj Singh, who played a stellar role in the 2011 World Cup win.

This means Ravindra Jadeja’s role in the side becomes vital, for he plays a double role in tandem with R. Ashwin. Bhuvneshwar Kumar too can bat, and together these three should form the No.7, 8 and 9, in that order.

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma didn’t really enjoy their outings in South Africa, and they will look to improve on better pitches in New Zealand.

While Virat Kohli has fixed his spot at No.3, there is doubt over No.4 and No.5. With Singh out of contention, Ajinkya Rahane should get first preference, while Suresh Raina could be settled at No.5. But Raina has been struggling for runs and if his lean patch continues a little longer, it will be interesting to see what the selectors do—Cheteshwar Pujara is still sitting out and Ambati Rayudu and Stuart Binny are looking to impress. Dhoni slots himself at No.6, and like Kohli, has that spot all to himself.

At present, experimentation seems possible in two, at the most three, spots if India steal an early lead in the five-match series. Binny could come in at No.5 or No.6, as he also bowls medium pace and could be a handy lower-order all-rounder. The two bowling spots will be also up for grabs. Ishant Sharma will look to lead the bowling with Mohammed Shami, but Umesh Yadav, Ishwar Pandey, Amit Mishra and Varun Aaron are waiting in the wings.

The Kiwi challenge

Even as India look to press ahead with their long-term preparations, they would do well to not lose focus on the job at hand. New Zealand can be challenging—its windy conditions as well as short grounds can upset their well-set plans. The hosts, ranked No.8 in the ICC world ranking, have all-rounders and big hitters of the ball like Brendon McCullum and Nathan McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson, who recently made the fastest ODI hundred ever. Despite Daniel Vettori’s absence, they could pack more than just a punch against the world No.1 ODI side.

Chetan Narula is the author of Skipper: A Definitive Account of India’s Greatest Captains.

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Published: 15 Jan 2014, 08:18 PM IST
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