4 Factors The Indian Cricket Team Should Proactively Look At Before The Start Of The 2019 Cricket World Cup

We are 46 weeks away from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 and based on the team compositions, it is clear that all the teams have started preparing for this big event. Even though everyone in India, including me, would love to see Team India lift its third world cup, it is going to be a steep challenge for the men in blue. Let us look at some of the factors that India might have to look at closely while preparing for this marquee event.

4. Rohit Sharma Gets A Prolonged Run as a Captain

I believe that someone should be groomed for ODI captaincy experience before the World Cup. The most obvious choice will be the vice-captain Rohit Sharma and he can be asked to lead the ODI team during the current England tour for few ODIs. This will ensure that the team will be in good stead even if Kohli gets injured (touch wood!) unexpectedly during the tournament.

Rohit Sharma

Vijay Shankar

3. Maybe Look For An Additional Bowling All-rounder?

While every position, starting from the openers to the bowlers, has a backup option, I can see that only Hardik Pandya does not have a back-up. With the amount of cricket being played these days, nobody should be surprised if Pandya breaks down (touch wood!) during a crucial stage in the tournament. The solution for this is to give Vijay Shankar, the other all-rounder, a prolonged run before the start of the world cup.

Kuldeep & Chahal

2. Explore Opportunities To Take Part In The ODI Domestic Tournament Of England

One of the reasons why India fared badly in the 2007 edition was the unique conditions and pitches in the Caribbean Islands. Many people blame the defeat to Bangladesh in 2007 as the match that led to the downfall of the team. However, I believe that the last group match against Srilanka exposed the entire line-up of highly touted batsmen to low-bounce pitches. To ensure that this does not happen again, the BCCI should try to see if some of the key players, especially the spinners (Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal) and batsmen (like Kedhar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul) can take part in the England ODI or Twenty20 competitions and sharpen their skills on England pitches.

Sachin Tendulkar Walks Back To The Pavilion After Getting Out Against Bangladesh

1. Enjoy The Moment

I remember an excerpt from one of the interviews by Mr. Sharad Pawar, who headed the BCCI during the tumultuous 2007 World Cup. Pawar said that Rahul Dravid was worried about not winning the World cup even before the World Cup started. To ensure that no player faces such pressure, Ravi Shastri and the coaching staff should ensure that the team in a good state of mind during the world cup campaign. I am not saying that the current bunch of Indian cricketers or a legend like Rahul Dravid are weak emotionally. However, a stable environment that supports the cricketers is very much necessary for a successful campaign. Everyone should be allowed to play their natural game and (for some cricketers) enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their motherland.