On a good wicket

On a good wicket

Kohli and co look like the team to beat in this summer’s World Cup
India’s preparations for the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup have begun on a strong note with back-to-back ODI series wins against Australia and New Zealand. Going 2-1 over a second-rung Aussie team and 3-0 against the fancied New Zealand, both 2015 WC finalists, has offered the touring Indians a good opportunity to size up their own strengths and weaknesses. Conversely, India flush with victory mustn’t underrate rivals. The one day format is a measure of the best team on a particular day when nerves, playing conditions and luck can conspire against form and reputation. In a knockout match, you’re only as good as your last win.

The best outcome from Down Under is that India has largely identified the playing eleven to field in England come June. Virat Kohli is comfortable in his dual avatar as skipperbatsman and senior statesman MS Dhoni’s calming influence in the late middle order helps in crunch situations when the team needs a finisher. The Kohli-Dhoni dynamic is interesting: Kohli isn’t perturbed by his ex-boss’s presence in the dressing room and Dhoni’s “captain cool” aura is a positive influence on the team.

The pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami pose a threat to every batting line, and are well supported by Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav, the latter duo handy with the bat too. However, fielding remains below par and needs improvement. The English summer of 1983 was India’s first brush with glory and 28 years elapsed before the World Cup came home a second time. Like the all-conquering West Indies and Australian sides under Clive Lloyd and Steve Waugh, 2019 is Kohli and co’s opportunity to make an Indian team the one to beat in world cricket.