India’s bowling options for ICC World Cup 2015

Indian pace battery will be the key to their success (or failure) in the 2015 World Cup

It is that time of the year when all teams have one eye on the mega cricketing event, which starts next February. Any series played now will be a preparation ground for the pinnacle event: the World Cup 2015.

So, what does being “best prepared” imply to any cricket team? It should be a mix of the right combination of playing XI, quality match practice, and acclimatization with the local conditions in Australia and New Zealand. This is even more important for Team India since they must live up to the huge expectations of a cricket crazy nation and soak in the pressure that comes with the “defending champions” tag.

India has never been short of “match practice”, with tight schedules round the year, not to mention the sporting extravaganza of the Indian Premier League (IPL). But right when they needed it the most, a one month-long void had been created with the shocking departure of Windies from India’s tour. But the BCCI’s hurried offer to the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) and their acceptance of a 5-match One Day International (ODI) series has come in as a “blessing in disguise” for the Indian team. Two advantages: one, India gets 4 extra ODIs to build up rigour and the players to find their form; two, India gets an opportunity to test their skills against yet another strong contender for the world title.

What more could India or, in fact, any team ask for than getting a full-fledged summer series Down Under just two months before the World Cup. MS Dhoni’s men should utilize this opportunity to become well-settled with the local pitch conditions and get a head start in the flagship cricket event.

Now, to address the most important parameter for team’s preparedness. How will India zero in on the right mix of playing XI; who will figure in it and who will not? India have always been troubled to a greater extent by their bowling options than their batting line-up. A lot of issues around injury, poor performance, inconsistency and lack of temperament have forced India to shuffle their bowling options more often than many of the other strong teams like England, Australia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. A settled plus confident bowling squad has been the key to these teams’ consistent winning performances, be it at home or overseas.

The pace battery – Bring in Ishant, have Aaron and Umesh in the mix

As far as seamers are concerned, the team has seen the likes of Ishant Sharma moving in and out of the squad due to erratic performances. We see only glimpses of that supreme rhythm we saw during the 2007-08 series in Australia. But India should give him a go-ahead in the upcoming Australia series because he is known to thrive in such conditions and, if he hits good form, can be a lethal force in the tournament. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the most settled bowler, an asset to the team given his controlled swing bowling and reputation of a smart operator. Mohammed Shami has been a workhorse and is disciplined, known for putting in those extra yards to extract pace and bounce from unforgiving turfs. Mohit Sharma will have to work it out hard to retain the confidence of the selectors as well as the skipper.

Other options available are Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav. It is heartening to see Aaron’s decision to play in the English domestic season, debuting for Durham last month. This stint will make him sweat it out to improve his game in addition to gaining valuable confidence on the seamer-friendly pitches. Also, his inclusion in the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka series is his best chance to perform and claim a position in the coveted World Cup squad.

Umesh Yadav has been a force to reckon with; his brisk pace can reap full purchase from the pitches of Australia. He also has the backing of a decent performance with the touring India A to Australia in July 2014.

Spinners – Jadeja leads the pack

On the spinning options available for the mega event, Ravindra Jadeja is a natural choice, having been consistently figuring in the playing XI and putting in strong performances with both bat and ball. Ravichandran Ashwin will have an outside chance of being picked as the 2nd spinner based on his outing in the Sri Lanka series.

“We’re trying Kuldeep (Yadav) in this series, Amit Mishra is there. There are not many games, but we’ll see what we can achieve from the ODIs we have before the World Cup", Dhoni had stressed during the West Indies ODI series, indicating the importance of finding the right team combination with the limited number of matches in hand before February 2015.

It is extremely crucial for Dhoni and the selectors to rotate players wisely, give all of them a fair chance to show what they have to offer while at the same time not disrupt the rhythm of settled bowlers like Bhuvneshwar.

Shoaib Akhtar was, indeed, right when he mentioned in one article last month that keeping the key Indian bowlers fresh, well trained, with proper practice from the World Cup's point of view will help them fire. Complementing them with an in-form batting line-up will mean an ‘Unstoppable India’ at the World Cup.