Dubai: A turbulent recent cricketing past has made a resonant effort mandatory for India in the Champions Trophy, and their opening match against a tricky Bangladesh here on Thursday will be the first point in assuaging a set of existential questions surrounding this team.
These questions are worrying even for a pre-tournament favourite like India. Can this Indian bowling unit tide over the absence of injured pace talisman Jasprit Bumrah? Can Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma summon their glory days back? Can young names like Shubman Gill ace the pressure of a multi-nation competition to deliver consistently?
In that context, the ICC showpiece is a godsend because ODI is the comfort zone of those icons and young tyros in this Indian line-up, and they will be genuinely eyeing a strong outing here.
It’s imperative that they do so — from a team and individual perspective.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Kohli, Rohit and even head coach Gautam Gambhir, although only six months into his tenure, are living on borrowed time because the shockwaves created by the setbacks against New Zealand and Australia have not subsided yet.
Some bright signs are there though. Skipper Rohit made a century a few days back against England and Kohli a fifty, while Gambhir masterminded the dominant 4-1 and 3-0 victories in T20Is and ODIs respectively.
Gill was exceptional while emerging as the player of the series, cracking two fifties and a hundred in three ODIs against England.
But the challenge India face in the Champions Trophy is vastly different from a rather cosy home series.
Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand, their opponents in Group A, are far more motivated than the seemingly disinterested England whom they faced recently, and even one defeat can change the whole league stage equation quite dramatically.
The selection riddles
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Although India are playing a strong brand of 50-over cricket of late, they have some selection riddles to solve before they face Bangladesh.
It starts with KL Rahul’s batting position. Will he bat at No. 5, his most productive slot, or at No. 6 with Axar Patel coming one place above him?
The wicketkeeper batter had batted at No. 6 in the first two matches against England before going back to No. 5 in the final one-dayer.
In all likelihood, the team management could remain fluid and take a call as per the game situation here.
However, finding the right balance in bowling poses a bigger challenge, partly because of the injury-enforced absence of Bumrah.
It will be a toss up between Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana as the new-ball partner of lead pacer Mohammed Shami, who will have to lift his game by a few notches here.
Rana might have been impressive so far in his outings, and he has the ability to hustle the batters with sheer pace and bounce even on the most docile of pitches.
But, at this moment, Arshdeep is the frontrunner to share the newball duties because of the left-arm angle and the variety he possesses in his bowling.
Other than that, India is likely to go with three spinners with Hardik Pandya as the fast bowling all-rounder.
But herein too, India will have to ponder over who is the third spinner behind primary choices Ravindra Jadeja and Axar.
They have a tough selection to make between left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.
If the recent form is the yardstick then ‘mystery spinner’ Chakravarthy should get the nod, but Kuldeep showed his readiness while outwitting some reputed batters in the nets here on Tuesday.
But India can take consolation from the fact that Bangladesh are going through turmoil of their own, weakened by the absence of stars like Shakib Al Hasan.
However, India will not like to leave anything to chance as Bangladesh has proved to be the proverbial banana peel for them in the past in global events.
Teams (from): India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Bangladesh: Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, MD Mahmud Ullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossai Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.
Match starts at 2.30 pm IST.
