Form and fitness of seasoned stars is under the scanner as India enter the final phase of their Champions Trophy preparations with the three-match ODI series against England starting here on Thursday, aiming to find the right balance for some specific slots in the line-up.
The likes of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been under tremendous scrutiny after their dismal run in red-ball cricket.
The two stars, after making hyped but disappointing appearances in Ranji Trophy last month, will be eyeing strong performances in a format that they have dominated for several years.
They were the top two run-getters of the 2023 World Cup with Kohli scoring 765 and Rohit smashing 597.
Since that World Cup, which India let slip in the final after going unbeaten throughout, the two have only featured in a three-match ODI series loss to Sri Lanka where Rohit scored two fifties while Kohli didn’t have a great run.
The slump intensified in Tests and in the last three months, the two heroes of India’s most recent T20 World Cup triumph have faced numerous calls to decide on their future.
The ODI series against England is India’s only tune-up tournament for the Champions Trophy, to be held in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19. The eight-team competition could be a make-or-break event for the two stalwarts who have already retired from T20Is.
However, their form is not the solitary concern for the outfit.
One of the grey areas is the wicket-keeper’s slot. Who among KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant should get the nod for the playing XI? With skipper Rohit and his deputy Shubman Gill likely to open, followed by Kohli Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya, the wicketkeeper-batter is likely to slot in at number five.
Rahul, who kept wickets in Pant’s absence during the 2023 World Cup, performed admirably, scoring 452 runs and proving to be one of India’s most consistent middle-order batters.
His stability has been instrumental in creating a formidable ODI setup, but his strike rotation in the middle overs remains a concern.
On the other hand, the left-handed Pant offers variety in India’s right-hand dominated top order. Additionally, his unpredictability, raw power, and ability to clear with breathtaking ease make him the X-factor.
The Indian think tank could always go with both but that would likely come at the expense of Iyer, who despite under-performing in the Sri Lanka series, has been a prolific contributor. His exploits in the domestic season are hard to ignore.
The series will also test the preparedness of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami and wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, both of whom had been laid low by injuries and could be key to India’s success in the Champions Trophy.
While Shami played two T20s against England in the recently-concluded series, Kuldeep hasn’t donned the India colours since the first Test against New Zealand in October.
Spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was never in contention for this series due to a back problem.
In-form mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy is expected to get a debut to strengthen his case for inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad.
He troubled the England batters in the T20Is after bamboozling Bangladesh in another home series last October.
The team management also have to make a tough choice for the spin all-rounder’s position. Ravindra Jadeja, who hasn’t played an ODI since the 2023 ODI World Cup final, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are all in contention and it is not yet clear how this will be settled.
England too will look to iron out the chinks in their armour and present a stronger challenge. But the task is easier said than done given that they have lost back-to-back 50-over series against Australia (in September) and West Indies (in November).
Joe Root is the only addition to the team to their batting line-up which will largely be the same as the one that struggled in the T20s.
