5 issues which need to be addressed by the Indian ODI team before the 2019 World Cup

#3. The third spinner

Axar Patel has not featured in an ODI since October, 2017

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have been exceptional in ODI cricket in the last six months. Yadav has picked up 34 wickets in 18 ODIs at an average of 19.79 while Chahal too has been equally impressive with 39 wickets in 21 ODIs at an average of 22.

Yadav and Chahal played a vital role in the series victory against Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka and have bagged plenty of the wickets against South Africa in the ongoing series.

The spin twins are relatively new to the international circuit and it would be justified to have a third spinner in the 2019 World Cup squad. While Axar Patel has impressed in the limited outings in ODI cricket, the presence of Yadav and Chahal have made sure that he does not feature in the playing 11. The left-arm orthodox spinner last played an ODI against New Zealand in October, 2017 and since then has not been a part of the playing 11.

Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja too are not out of the reckoning and one of them would feature in the 2019 World Cup squad considering their experience at the international level and the experience of playing in English conditions.

India next play an ODI series against England in England and the squad for that series would make it clear as to who would be the third spinner in the Indian squad for the 2019 World Cup.