Virat Kohli in a Practice Session | Image: AP
With the easy win in the first two matches, the Indian team, enthusiastically enthusiastically, will take a clean sweep by retaining their rhythm in the third and final one -day international cricket match against England on Wednesday. However, in this match, Virat Kohli will be monitored who will have the last chance to get the form before the Champions Trophy.
India has already won the series by winning the first two matches by a margin of four wickets. The team led by Rohit Sharma will now land to play at the Narendra Modi Stadium where it lost in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023.
Needless to say that the Indian team will be worried about Kohli’s form before the Champions Trophy. The Champions Trophy to be played between eight teams will begin in Pakistan and Dubai from 19 February. India will play all its matches in Dubai. India will play their first match against Bangladesh on 20 February and will face its arch rival Pakistan on 23 February.
Captain Rohit Sharma returned to the form by scoring 119 off 90 balls in the second ODI which is good signs for India. Kohli would like to play a big innings here by taking inspiration from this partner. Kohli is not fully visible in the rhythm but he is not staying at the crease for so long that he can give himself a chance to play a big innings.
If Kohli’s bat goes, this star batsman can become the third player to score 14000 runs in ODI cricket. Kohli needs only 89 runs to reach this point. India has done well in all three departments so far. India’s bowling attack has strengthened with the inclusion of spinner Varun Chakraborty in the team and the return of fast bowler Mohammed Shami.
Shami’s successful return would definitely give relief to the Indian team management as there is doubt about the fitness of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was supposed to return from this ODI to be held in Ahmedabad as per the predetermined schedule but is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.
The team of both India and England did not practice on Tuesday as they want to enter the third ODI refreshed.
In Rohit’s match played in Cuttack, century will also inspire other players of the team to perform well. These include wicketkeeper batsman KL Rahul who has not yet been able to perform expected. In such a situation, if India gives Rishabh Pant a chance, then no one should be surprised. He is a left -handed batsman who can balance the Indian team.
India will expect a good innings from Shreyas Iyer in the middle order. All -rounder Akshar Patel landed to bat number five has yet proved to be correct. The left -arm batsman scored 52 and an unbeaten 42 in the first two matches.
Patel’s good performance in batting may have reduced some pressure on Ravindra Jadeja who has taken six wickets in the series so far. Indian players have so far done well on wickets helping spin bowlers. He is likely to get similar circumstances in Dubai in the Champions Trophy.
As far as Jose Butler -led England team is concerned, he will have to perform well in the three departments to win morale before the Champions Trophy. His team’s problems have also increased due to all -rounder Jacob Bethel’s injury.
In the last match, the opening pair of Phil Salt and Ben Docket gave England a good start but could not take advantage of it. Joe Root has also left its influence but has not got support from the other side.
In bowling, spinner Adil Rashid has taken full advantage of the circumstances but if England want to win then his batsmen will have to perform their best.
The teams are as follows:
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Qetan), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jade, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakraborty.
England: Jose Butler (captain and wicketkeeper), Harry Brook, Ben Docket, Joe Root, Philip Salt, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Tom Bantan, Bridan Cars, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Operton, Jofra Archer, Gas Atkinson, Saqib Mahmud, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood.
The match will begin at 1:30 pm Indian time.
