The Indian Cricket team is in red-hot form at the moment and the England team is facing a tough time in India. After the humiliation received in the Test series, the England team once again finished second in the first ODI.
What would hurt the Eoin Morgan-led team was the fact that they dominated a majority of the match and yet could find a way of applying the finishing touches. They allowed the Indian team escape from a real tight corner and hence would be gutted at the end of the match.
However, everything did not go according to plan for Virat Kohli’s boys, and the bowlers, in particular, received a real pasting, and thus the management should take a look at the combination in the coming matches.
Here we take a look at the predicted team for the second ODI.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
This could be a make or break series for the left-hander, and thus his failure to get going in the first series came under a lot of scrutinies. With the absence of Rohit Sharma, Dhawan should the role of a senior player and he needs to score runs right at the beginning.
He did not have a very good 2016, and with the emergence of a solid bench strength, the ever smiling left-hander has no option but to perform. The selectors have been patient with him, but he is walking on extremely thin ice at the moment.
#2 KL Rahul
The Karnataka boy had a dream 2016 and has fast emerged as a reliable batsman in all three formats. However, he needs to transform all his promise into consistent performances. He looked in decent touch in the first ODI, but then played a loose stroke and perished. He has to guard against complacency, especially at the beginning of his innings.
He has the game to be successful in all formats at the top of the order and now needs to tighten his approach and solidify his temperament.
#3 Virat Kohli
The Indian captain took to ODI captaincy much like his Test tenure and scored a match-defining century. At the moment, Kohli seems to be playing at an altogether different level and his calmness and zen-like approach have made him into a run-scoring machine.
He has taken a special liking to the English bowling and keeps on churning runs with an amazing level of consistency.
Expecting more of same from the Indian captain!
#4 Yuvraj Singh
The southpaw is a definite crowd favourite and there is no doubting his immense following and the emotions he is able to extract from the fans. Hence, his inclusion was put up for debate and there were so many different theories doing the rounds.
However, the selectors believed that he had performed in the Ranji trophy and merits an inclusion. The left-hander looked in promising rhythm in the first ODI before he was strangled down the leg side. His presence and form would be critical for India going forward.
#5 MS Dhoni
Ever since Dhoni decided to relinquish captaincy there have speculations over the type of game he would bring to the centre. If his short stay during the first ODI is anything to go by, the Ranchi-boy seems to go back to his old flamboyant self. He would now look to dig in and carry on for a longer time.
His keeping is as assured as ever, and his opinion on the field is like a bank for Virat Kohli, especially with the DRS challenges.
#6 Kedar Jadhav
The new pin-up boy in Indian cricket, Kedar Jadhav has made the entire cricketing fraternity talking about him. After having toiled all these years in the dust in Domestic circuit, it was only poetic justice that his sterling performance came in front of his home crowd.
However, how he reacts to all the accolades and to new strategies would define his ODI future. He has shown that he has the game and solid temperament which should hold him in good stead in International cricket.
#7 Hardik Pandya
Indian cricket’s perennial search for al all-rounder has another candidate. Hardik Pandya has been earmarked to finally fill the void, and he put in a crucial all-round performance in the first ODI.
He was impressive with the new ball and got good seam movement at a fair clip. With the bat, he made sure India did not collpase after the wickets of Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav and displayed admirable patience and maturity to see India over the line.
#8 Ravindra Jadeja
On a track which had no assistance in it for the bowlers, Jadeja did a fairly decent job with the ball, and kept things relatively quiet.
With the bat, he looked good before a brain fade saw him throwing away his wicket.
And then he is sublime in the field, and his presence makes the Indian outfit look far more crisp and sharp.
#9 Amit Mishra
The leg-spinner was unfortunate to miss out in the first ODI, and his absence was felt by Virat Kohli. Leg spinners are an attacking option in Limited overs cricket, and Mishra has the expericne which could be very useful diring the middle overs, where India struggled to pick up wickets in the First ODI. This allowed England to go hell for leather towards the end.
Hence, Kohli would go for Mishra, who was the man of the series in the ODI series against New Zealand.
#10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Another area of concern for India was the form if Umesh Yadav with the new ball. He was sporadic and leaked plenty of runs with both the new ball and then at the death.
He could be replaced with Bhuvneshwar who is far more penetrative with the brand new nut. He has also developed a good yorker and has plenty of variations up his sleeve to keep the batsmen guessing towards the end of the innings.
#11 Jasprit Bumrah
The Gujarat man was the one of the greatest find for India the previous year and he brings toe-crushing yorkers and plenty of skills to the table which makes him one of the best in the business at the death.
However, he did not have the best of game in Pune, and would be keen to improve in Cuttack.
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