Opportunity for India to test bench strength

COLOMBO: The India cricket team, under Virat Kohli’s leadership, is currently demonstrating clinical efficiency, balanced batting and bowling and a ruthless mentality in limited-overs cricket. These factors were evident in the recently concluded tour of South Africa where India won the ODI and T20I series 5-1 and 2-1 respectively.

Riding this momentum, India are favourites in the upcoming Nidahas Trophy Twenty20 triseries that starts on March 6 in Colombo and features hosts Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

However, the gruelling 50-day tour of South Africa has prompted India to make some changes.

Kohli, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have all been rested. Rohit Sharma will lead the side and players like Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Mohammad Siraj, Vijay Shankar and Washington Sundar have been picked.

TESTING DEPTH

This tri-series presents India with two challenges. The team will be without Dhoni and Kohli for an entire series after a long time. This gives the likes of Shankar, Sundar, Hooda, Pant and Siraj an extended run to showcase their talent on the bigger stage.

Barring Hooda and Shankar, the rest got a chance in at least one series during the heights of the ‘experimentation’ and ‘rotation’ stage under Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri.

This tournament will be closely watched by Indian selectors and Indian Premier League franchises. A great show in Sri Lanka will only enhance the talent pool of Indian cricket and increase Kohli and the selectors’ problem of plenty, which is a good thing.

The inclusion of Hooda, Shankar, Sundar, Pant and Siraj are rewards for their consistency in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Hooda and Pant have aggressive strike-rates and a good average.

Pant, who had struggled in one Twenty20 against the West Indies in 2017 and in the Ranji Trophy, roared back to form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, hammering 411 runs at a strikerate of 195.6, including a 38-ball 116 against Himachal Pradesh.

On recent form, Hooda, who had expressed that he hopes to get a chance in the Indian team for this series, seems a sure fit having excelled in both Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali.

Sundar, who made his ODI and T20 debut against Sri Lanka in December, could be a vital support to Yuzvendra Chahal in conditions that will assist him while Siraj, the leading wickettaker in the 2017/18 Vijay Hazare Trophy with 23 wickets, will be aiming to seize the chance after a poor start against New Zealand.