Plenty of gains for Team India in series sweep

Axar had an impressive series both with the bat and ball.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI

One of the consequences of having an ICC event every year is that all other series become training grounds for the nearest marquee global competition. Bilateral cricket, once the bedrock of the international limited-overs game, hardly matters as matches now resemble testing sites for teams to firm up their combinations.

The three-match ODI series between India and England that finished here on Wednesday is the latest example of this phenomenon. And going by how the two teams fared, it is India, which won 3-0, that will be mighty pleased ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy that begins next week in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

Prior to the series, India’s prime concern was to plan for Jasprit Bumrah’s absence at the Champions Trophy. While a like-for-like replacement for Bumrah’s genius is impossible, there are now signs that varied personnel will be trusted to bring a diverse set of skills and plug the hole.

The think-tank will hope for Harshit Rana’s wicket-taking ability, Arshdeep Singh’s death-bowling skills and Varun Chakaravarthy’s long-enduring mystery to act as cover. Mohammed Shami’s return to full fitness is also a shot in the arm as India will look to the premier fast bowler to reproduce the 2023 World Cup magic.

There were also gains on the batting front as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill roared back to form with centuries, and accumulated 122 and 259 runs respectively. Virat Kohli too made a half-century in the third ODI, raising hopes that his best form may be round the corner. Shreyas Iyer was excellent in his role as a middle-order enforcer, totalling 181 runs from three games at a remarkable strike-rate of 123.12.

The way head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit strategised against England gave a good sneak peek into how they wanted to approach the game. Be it the way Rohit, Gill, Kohli and Shreyas batted or the attacking bowling changes that were introduced in the middle-overs, it showed that India was not ready to let the game meander.

Gambhir is also a firm believer in having a southpaw up top or in the middle-order. But having replaced opener Yashasvi Jaiswal with Varun in the Champions Trophy squad, it will most likely be Axar Patel’s job – or possibly Ravindra Jadeja’s – to offer that variety. In fact, Axar has batted at No. 5 or No. 6 in four of his last five ODI innings and made scores of 44, 2, 52 and 41 n.o., proving that he is very much the trusted man.