Bharath has won both the ODIs so far in a comprehensive fashion. The batsmen were good and the bowlers were brilliant. It all looks like the picture is perfect. This win was achieved despite the absence of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. All of them will walk-in in any ODI team. All that the team needs to do is to turnup at the ODI World Cup and the cup is theirs for the taking. The performance has been decisive. However, is the picture this rosy? Do Bharath have all their bases covered? Was Australia not really interested in the series? The Bharath vs Australia series.
First, some of the good things
Indian batsmen were among the runs. Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj and Rahul batted freely and confidently in both the games. The free flow of shots at Indore is what is expected of the Indian batsmen. This happens from time to time but it is not consistent. Come the World Cup, India will certainly go back to the old formula of keeping wickets till the final overs. The game has changed. The short boundaries, field restrictions and no spite on the pitches have game ODI and T20 cricket completely batsmen friendly.
The bowlers are just there to trundle the ball for the batsmen to belt it over the infield. As such, a minimum score of 325 is the norm. Especially, whenever teams of equal stature play against each other. Hopefully, Indians will realise this atleast now and will start to play a brand of cricket that is akin to how the game is being played now.
The team score in the Indore game was mammoth. Granted, Australia played with their second-string attack but a score of just one run short of 400 is mammoth by any standard. Australia must be worried that their next line of bowlers were unable to contain international sides to manageable proportions.
Return of the older generation
Rohit, Kohli and Pandya will be back for the final ODI and all of them are very much part of the first eleven. Ruturaj is anyway not part of the squad. Ishan Kishan, who has shown admirable capacity to bat and bat well against tough opponents is likely to miss out. With Rahul to keep wickets and Shreyas Iyer slotting into the number 4 spot, Ishan’s chances will be limited. India will miss out on a left-handed option in the middle order. If Pandya and Jadeja can bowl their full quota of 10 overs, Ishan can be brought into the playing eleven. They may bowl but they are unlikely to be economical.
Ashwin the surprise packet
Ashwin has announced himself with a couple of good performances. Axar Patel is still nursing an injury and the chances of him being fit for the World Cup is limited. Ashwin has done well in these games. On a belter of a pitch at Indore, it was Ashwin who skittled Australia’s chase. The 3 wickets made the game a no-contest.
Things are pointing towards a reentry for Ashwin in the World Cup but will India take the risk of going in with 3 spinners and 2 seamers with Pandya to support? Do we want to see Pandya bowling inside the first powerplay? That is a difficult question to answer. I believe that unless the pitch will either be on the slower side or if it will turn, Ashwin at best will be a backup option. Neither can he replace Jadeja because of Jadeja’s superior batting and fielding nor can he replace Kuldeep Yadav because of the latter’s wicket taking ability.
Australia
“We were a fair way off. We’ve lost quite a few in a row now,” said Smith, who was out first ball in just the second over throwing his hands at a wide delivery.
“World Cups are about peaking at the right time, we certainly haven’t done that at this stage. A few things to sort out. We know we are a good side. Both teams are working towards the World Cup but still want to win games.”
This was the 5th straight loss for Australia. 3 against South Africa and 2 now against India. Australia usually turns into a different beast when it comes to the World Cup. Not for nothing have they won 6 World Cups in white-ball cricket and one in red-ball cricket. They are the most consistent side in World Cups. Just like Germany in football. Hence, I do not think that they need to be too worried. A couple of years ago, when no one expected Australia to go all the way, they surprised everyone by winning the T20 World Cup and that too, in Asia. The ruling is that never underestimate Australia because the sheer confidence with which they play in World Cups is something no other team can match.
Wrapping up the Bharath vs Australia series
India has had a good couple of games and it has been a good month. Come World Cup, some defensive mindset usually settles into the mind of the team. They resort to safety first approach which has often proven to be the undoing. Hopefully, this World Cup, it will be different.
Other India vs Australia series can be read here, here, here, here, here and here