An under-fire India will be hoping to get their act together in the virtual semifinal against a better-placed England in the final league match of the cricket tri-series, here on Friday. lucky to share two points with Australia, who are awaiting their opponents in the final, in the washed off game in Sydney, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side will not only try to address its bowling worries but also try to pull up its batting socks.
Failing to register a win in the league stage so far, the Indian bowlers were unable to defend their 267 runs in their first match, while the team was shot down for 153 in the second game against England. All eyes were on Rohit Sharma’s fitness after the opener failed to take part in the last two ODIs post a fluent 138 in the team’s opener against the hosts but the team management is not looking to risk his strained hamstring so close to the World Cup.
After undergoing a fitness test at WACA on Wednesday, Rohit batted in the nets for a while on Thursday and did look comfortable. But surprisingly he is still unavailable for selection for this upcoming match. Ajinkya Rahane has shown flexibility with the think-tank still tinkering with the team’s batting order as Ambati Rayudu looks uncomfortable at the number three position.
Shikhar Dhawan’s batting form has also contributed to India’s dismal showing in the ODIs as the left-handed opener has just managed 11 runs in three matches to give the team a big reason to worry before the World Cup. Dhawan enjoyed a brilliant outing in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England, scoring back-to-back hundreds that helped him accumulate 363 runs in just five matches at an average of 90.75. He won the man-of-the-tournament award back then, but ever since it has been downhill.
The rest of the cast has also not been consistent and Virat Kohli is still trying to find his groove at the No.4 spot that the Indian think-tank seems to be settling him into. Even after getting a lot of stick from the Australian batsmen in the Test matches and the Indian critics, the bowlers still continue to leak runs without picking many wickets.
With Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami still trying to find the right length all through the Australian summer, spinners Akshar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin find little help from the fast-paced tracks. Ishant though is expected to be given a run-in again after missing out due to the weather in Sydney.
A bowling all-rounder is what India have been searching for and if Stuart Binny, who scored 44 and picked up the only wicket to fall against England, can deliver if picked in the XI then the Men in Blue will fancy their chances against Eoin Morgan and company.
England though also have had a patchy run in this tournament so far but have certainly looked much better than India on the field. Getting a bonus point against Dhoni and company in the nine-wicket win in Brisbane has been their high-point so far as they lost both their ODIs against arch-rivals Australia.
With five points from three games, England certainly have the upper hand in the knockout game but WACA is always a different ball game for any visiting side. Their bowling led by James Anderson has made the right noises before the 50-over showpiece event but the batting form of most of their top stars has been inconsistent.