LEEDS: Progress to semifinals assured and Saturday’s opponent Sri Lanka out of the race long ago, India seemingly head into what is called a dead rubber. Right? Yes, if one looks at what’s at stake in the immediate context. Not quite, if one has to see what this match might mean, for India’s future in the competition.
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There are things to look forward to, which could indicate how they are going to pan out. Not momentum, for that is a word fast losing relevance due to overuse. There are other things to watch out for. Combination, potential opponents in the last four and match time for some who have not had a lot of it so far. Here goes...
Eye on standings
If India lose, they will finish second on the table and face England in the second semifinal in Birmingham on July 11. They will be second even if they win, if Australia beat South Africa in the last league match, a day-night affair in Manchester on Saturday, which will get over after the India-Sri Lanka game.
But if India win and Australia lose, Virat Kohli’s team will finish top of the table and face fourth-placed New Zealand in the first semifinal in Manchester on July 9. That’s better or a match against a team they have lost to? Not much of a choice really. So rather focus on what they can do, which is to win.
To Mayank or not!
Mayank Agarwal’s inclusion in the squad has complicated matters if one thinks of the combination. If he opens, KL Rahul goes back to No 4 and out goes Dinesh Karthik. How good a bet is Agarwal? Yet to be capped in this format of the game, there is only one chance to try him out.
Will the team management do that? It’s a tricky call and chances are higher that the winning combination from the last match won’t be broken. In that case, Rahul opens and Karthik stays.
Four sorted but five?
Having come to the tournament with question marks over No 4, India have not been able to find a convincing answer. On top of that, No 5 and 6 have also become concern areas, due to lack of runs and stability at No 4.
Rishabh Pant was satisfactory there in the last game so he remains in that position. Now, should it be MS Dhoni or Karthik at 5? Hardik Pandya moves up if the team needs quick runs, but what if No 5 has to come in early? Sri Lanka match last chance to experiment.
Two spinners or one?
After two pacers, two spinners and Pandya in the first seven games, Kuldeep Yadav was dropped in the last match to accommodate a third quick. Should it be like that or the chinaman be back? Another tricky call and Saturday’s team selection might indicate which way it’s going to turn.
Considered trump card before India came to England, Yadav had a bad day against England. Whether that’s a strong enough reason to dump him is what the team has to decide.
