Persistent rain has been a nuisance for the Indian team during their tour in Australia. Their opening match in Perth saw continuous stoppages that severely hampered the batsmen’s rhythm and momentum. Now, on the eve of their crucial second One Day International in Adelaide, an optional practice session was also cut short by inclement weather. Despite the conditions, former captain Rohit Sharma (seen here with Virat Kohli) made sure to attend, fully aware that time is running out for him to find his form. After being dismissed for just eight runs in the previous game, and with young talent Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting in the wings, another subpar performance could ignite serious discussions about his place. However, his dedication in the nets was evident, and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak expressed strong confidence in both Rohit and Virat Kohli, remarking, ‘They are senior players. They have been batting well in the nets. Don’t think there’s any cause of worry about their form.’
Indeed, the batting prowess of ‘Ro-Ko’ (Rohit-Kohli) is a dominant narrative in this ODI series, intensified by the presence of chief selector Ajit Agarkar and fellow selector Shiv Sundar Das in Adelaide, keenly observing the proceedings. Beyond individual performances, India finds itself in a must-win situation at the iconic Adelaide Oval. This venue holds fond memories for the Men in Blue, who boast an impressive record of not losing an ODI here for the past 17 years. The pitch conditions and ground dimensions have historically favored the Indian side, where they have secured nine victories against only five defeats.
However, the current Indian squad faces a significant challenge in its bowling department, even as they strive to finalize their ideal batting lineup. The absence of key paceman Jasprit Bumrah and star all-rounder Hardik Pandya severely disrupts the team’s balance. While Bumrah provides a vital cutting edge to the pace attack, Pandya’s ability to bowl offers the flexibility needed to include a third spinner like Kuldeep Yadav, alongside Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.
In Pandya’s absence, Nitish Reddy has stepped into the all-rounder role, yet the team management hesitated to fully trust him as a third fast-bowling option in Perth. Coach Kotak acknowledged, ‘Any team would feel the absence of Hardik, but that gives us the chance to see if Reddy can come up with the goods.’ This dilemma also meant that Kuldeep Yadav, India’s standout spinner across formats whenever he gets an opportunity, was left out of the playing XI. His exclusion has become a hot topic, with former India off-spinner R Ashwin voicing concerns on his podcast: ‘If you don’t get selected in the XI despite giving the results, you start doubting yourself. The question pops up in your mind, ‘Am I pulling the team down?” Ashwin recounted similar experiences from his career during Test matches in SENA countries.
Nonetheless, Kotak firmly stated that Kuldeep’s non-selection is purely tactical, based on team composition and prevailing conditions, rather than any doubt about his skill. He explained, ‘We take a call as per the ground conditions and the required team combination. Whether at No. 8 we need an all-rounder or whether it is important to have a batting cover, that’s something we need to discuss,’ hinting at the likelihood of fielding three specialist pacers. If this strategy is adopted, all eyes will be on Prasidh Krishna, who might get the nod over Harshit Rana, after Rana’s less-than-impressive debut in the first game. Krishna, despite sometimes lacking consistency, possesses the potential to deliver match-winning deliveries. Ultimately, for any of these strategies to unfold, the weather must cooperate. The forecast for Thursday looks promising, and the Indian team is fervently hoping for clear skies.