The Indian National Cricket Team is gearing up for the highly anticipated ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, set to be hosted on home soil. As the favorites to clinch the trophy, India’s preparations are in full swing. Yet, amidst their promising prospects, there remains a pressing concern – the composition of their pace bowling attack.
The trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami has been making waves in recent months. Bumrah, the leader of the pace attack, is showing promising signs of returning to form after a lengthy injury layoff. Meanwhile, Siraj displayed his fiery bowling skills in the Asia Cup 2023 finals, where he delivered a remarkable performance, including a spell of 6/21 against Sri Lanka. Additionally, Shami showcased his prowess by securing a five-wicket haul against Australia in the first ODI of the India vs Australia series.
The key question on everyone’s mind is whether Rohit Sharma, the team’s captain, should include all three pacers in the playing XI for World Cup matches. Laxmipathy Balaji, former Indian cricketer and current bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings, has shared his perspective on this matter.
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Balaji advocates for playing all three pacers together in high-stakes matches against teams like England, Australia, Pakistan, and New Zealand. He suggests rotating them in other games if there are concerns about preserving their fitness during the lengthy tournament. According to Balaji, the combination of Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj forms the best pace attack in the world, and compromising on this strength in important matches is unnecessary.
Balaji emphasizes that taking wickets is the most effective containment strategy, and these three pacers are reliable wicket-takers at any stage of the game. He highlights Bumrah’s astute pace bowling skills, Shami’s use of seam and high-arm action, and Siraj’s current peak form and confidence. Furthermore, all three possess genuine pace, making them a formidable trio.
One potential challenge of fielding three pacers is that it might necessitate benching Kuldeep Yadav, the team’s spinner. Balaji, however, supports this decision, suggesting that Ashwin can provide batting cover at No. 8. With the presence of Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya in the XI, Balaji believes that the Indian team will have all bases covered.
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While acknowledging that spin-friendly pitches could favor Kuldeep Yadav, Balaji notes that teams like Australia and England, which have several left-handed batsmen, could be effectively countered by including Ashwin in the lineup. He suggests utilizing Kuldeep and Shardul Thakur when needed.
As India prepares for their first match against Australia on October 8, the team management faces the challenge of deciding the optimal combination for the initial matches. The inclusion of all three pacers together is a possibility, but the presence of Hardik Pandya, an in-form pace-bowling all-rounder, adds complexity to the decision-making process.