World Cup 2019: 3 benched players who could play a key role in the upcoming matches

More than half of the World Cup 2019 is over and the top four at the moment look good enough to stay in that position by the end of the league stage. Australia, England and India were always the favorites but now even New Zealand look like making the top 4 pretty easily with a really good net run-rate

The World Cup desperately needed some upsets and we finally saw one when Sri Lanka defeated England. Even South Africa losing a lot of games was unexpected; they fought well but some mistakes didn’t allow them to get enough points. Bangladesh tried hard but winning against Australia was always going to be a tough ask.

One team will go through with 11 points, and New Zealand need just one more win to get there.

There are a few players in the top four teams who haven’t played a game yet, and it is important that those players get game time going ahead in the tournament. The top teams don’t want a situation where a player who hasn’t played a single game would suddenly be needed in the knockout stages.

So let’s have a look at three such players who would be important in the later stages of the tournament.

3. Ish Sodhi – New Zealand

NZ is preferring to play just one spinner in the XI

Ish Sodhi is one of the few wrist-spinners who hasn’t played a part in this tournament so far. New Zealand have preferred the combination of three pacers, one spinner, and two all-rounders. At the moment Mitchell Santner is doing the job really well, and the fact that he can bat as well puts him ahead of Sodhi.

New Zealand haven’t got a really dry wicket so far as they have played most of their games in slightly green conditions. But later in the tournament with the sun baking down, there would be a case for the leg-spinner.

Sodhi is a good enough leggie and on his day can trouble most batsmen. If the conditions do become favourable for the spinners, then NZ might drop a seamer to get in Sodhi; he might have a key role to play in the knockout stages of the World Cup.

Also see – Australia vs England head to head stats

2. Nathan Lyon - Australia

Nathan Lyon could be picked over Adam Zampa

Just like New Zealand, Australia too have preferred to play only one spinner and at times not even that. Australia dropped their spinner for a few games in between for an extra pacer. But Adam Zampa was back against Bangladesh and wasn’t at his best.

Zampa might be picking up a wicket here and there but the fact is that he is going for a lot of runs. He has picked up five wickets in four games but at a high economy rate of 7.15. Australia are not getting the control from the spinner that they expect. As a result, Zampa hasn’t completed his full quota of overs in three of those four games.

Australia would want a spinner who brings in control in the middle overs, and who better than their Test specialist Nathan Lyon to do that job. Lyon won’t pick up wickets in heaps but he can apply the pressure so that the bowler bowling at the other end might reap rewards.

Lyon might play a key role going ahead if Australia decided to pick him ahead of Zampa.

1. Mohammed Shami - India

Mohammed Shami will replace Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the XI

y expected Mohammed Shami to be part of the first XI but the team management and captain Virat Kohli went ahead with Bhuvneshwar Kumar - a decision they got right. Bhuvneshwar was brilliant in the first couple of games and it seemed as if Shami wouldn’t get a place for a while.

But with Bhuvneshwar's injury, suddenly the doors have opened once again for Shami.

Bhuvneshwar pulled his hamstring against Pakistan and will be out for at least the next two games. This is a great opportunity for Shami who has been in really good form this year. He has been bowling really well and would relish the opportunity to play in the XI.

At the moment, India are going in with just two pacers but moving forward if the conditions favor the seamers then there might be a chance of playing all three. In that case, Shami has to ready, and his game time would be important.