India look to get off the mark (Preview)

In the two formats of the game-longest and shortest-India haven’t been able to compete with the hosts England thus far. After a 4-0 triumph in test series that saw England to rocket to the top of the test rankings, the home team eased into six wicket victory in the solitary t-20 fixture. Plagued by injuries to top players, India have failed to prove a match to their counterparts. The tourists have looked fatigued, jaded, short of fight, and, at times, have lacked skill and resolve to make an impact on the tour.

What India have lacked, England have exhibited those traits in plenty. Right throughout the test series and in the t-20 international, the home team hasn’t looked to give an inch. It is the ruthlessness, meticulous planning and more desire to win than their opponents that has seen English team reach greater heights.For India, the tour has been forgettable one so far. Now all the focus shifts on five-match ODI series that starts on Saturday at Chester-le-Street. It will be the major fixture for India after their world cup triumph at Mumbai five months ago. India’s second string side did won in West Indies 3-2 after world cup but England, in this form, poses a different challenge altogether.

Six of the players who featured in the final aren’t part of the squad for most of them are nursing different kinds of injuries. This has forced selectors to blood in some young names and also marks return of champion batsman Rahul Dravid to the fold. Dravid, who debuted in t-20 internationals on the tour and will be playing his first ODI almost after three years, responded his inclusion by announcing retirement from the limited overs’ cricket at the end of the tour.

With likes of certain Virendar Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh missing, Indian team management will be sweating for new combinations. There is a string possibility Dravid opening with Sachin Tendulkar. It will be interesting whether India go with five regular bowlers or not.MS Dhoni’s men will have a lot at stake. They will have to prove their worth as world champions and Dhoni and his team management would want their players to show some fight and never say die attitude that proved to major strength to lift the cup.

Despite losing their top three match winners in batting lineup, India still looks a dangerous batting unit. Sachin, Dravid and Dhoni himself bring experience and class to the plate and likes of Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma tones of talent and excitement. It is the bowling department that looks a bit shaky, though. Experienced Munaf Patel and impressive on the tour Praveen Kumar will have to share the burden and young spinner R Ashwin will have a huge role to play if India harbor any chances of getting off the mark against England.

Post world cup debacle, England management has gone for wholesale changes. Some oldies like Paul Collingwood and Andrew Strauss have been dispensed with which has meant a new skipper and some young legs in the team. Alistair Cook has been given the reigns and he had a good start personally and as captain as well. Not only left hander emerged as the leading run scorer in the five match series against Sri Lanka early this summer, Cook led his team to a 3-2 win.For the home team, it is a case of carry their winning momentum from one format to another. The team management has decided to ‘rest’ star batsman Kevin Pietersen in line with their ‘rotation’ policy. Unlike India, most of the English batsmen are in top notch form. Cook himself, Ian Bell and Eoin Morgan will have to be fulcrum of English batting in the series.

The bowling department is, more or less, same that tormented Indian batsmen in the test series. Of late, England have found it difficult to contain opposition batsmen in death overs. In young fast bowler, Jade Dernbach, England have found one who has shown lot of promise and talent. In the t-20 game, his slower ones were hard for Indian batsmen to pick and his four wicket haul was instrumental in pegging India back despite a solid foundation. Of course, they have a quality new ball bowlers in James Anderson and t-20 skipper Stuart Broad and world’s best spinner Graeme spinner. The main difference between the two teams could well be the fielding. It is no secret England is far better a fielding side than India.

All said and done, onus will be on India to play like world champions. England, on the other hand, are keen to make a surge in ODI cricket as well.

England squad: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

India Squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Ravindu Jadeja, Ajinkye Rahane, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Parthiv Patel (wk), Amit Mishra, R Ashwin, Varun Aaron, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar