The Indian selectors will have much to think about when they meet over the weekend to decide on the squad for the ODIs against England. India are already 0-2 down in the Test series and have some fitness woes to go with the poor form shown by some of the cricketers.
Indian Selectors Need To Think Hard Before ODI Selection
With form and fitness issues plaguing the Indian team on their tour of England, the selectors will need to think hard before deciding on the squad for the ODIs.
India’s World Cup-winning squad was as follows:
MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla.
Chawla’s was a controversial selection and has since, fallen out of favour. Zaheer is injured and it isn’t know whether he will recover in time for the ODIs, as is the problem with the man of the tournament in the World Cup, Yuvraj. Harbhajan has both, fitness and form issues while Sehwag is returning back from his shoulder injury. Dhoni’s wicket-keeping form has fallen drastically, as has been his batting. There isn’t much news on Nehra’s fitness which usually remains a suspect.
The sense is that based on how Sehwag goes in the rest of the Test series, he should join Tendulkar and Gambhir at the top of the innings. Despite Raina and Kohli’s obvious shortcomings against the short ball, the ODIs will allow them some more leeway and they should make it to the playing eleven. Pathan may not get as lucky. Rohit Sharma may take his place.
Dhoni could be joined by a backup wicket-keeper. Partiv Patel could be an option as he can also provide a batting option at the top.
Amongst the bowlers, the buzz is that Harbhajan may be rested and Ashwin and Amit Mishra may grab the two spinners’ berths, although Pragyan Ojha will do himself no harm if he can do well in the tour game.
If Zaheer can prove his fitness, he will lead the pace bowling attack, even as Munaf and Sreesanth will make it to the squad as well. The one bowler who had missed the World Cup because of injury was Praveen Kumar and his selection should be a no-brainer.
India play England in a five-match ODI series apart from a one-off T20I.
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