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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Should India pick 3 spinners for first ODI?

Should India pick 3 spinners for first ODI?

By Harish Kotian
October 18, 2017 15:36 IST
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Harish Kotian glances at the choices Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri will need to make for India's series opener against New Zealand.
Play Selector and help Kohli and Shastri pick the Indian team for Sunday's ODI.

Kuldeep Yadav

IMAGE: Kuldeep Yadav, centre, celebrates a wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, right, and Virat Kohli. Photograph: BCCI

India will aim to make it seven in a row when they take on New Zealand in a three match ODI series, starting in Mumbai on Sunday, October 22.

India last lost an ODI series in January 2016, and have been on a winning run of six series triumphs, against Zimbabwe, New Zealand, England, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia.

 

India's recent wins have been achieved with a young bowling attack, with the selectors in the process of identifying probable players for the 2019 ODI World Cup in England.

India's frontline bowlers in Test cricket -- Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav -- appear to have fallen out of favour for the limited overs format.

The quartet have made way for a bowling line-up comprising youngsters Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who have gone from strength to strength in recent series.

Jasprit Bumrah

IMAGE: Jasprit Bumrah appeals for a wicket. Photograph: BCCI

While Ajinkya Rahane retained his place in the 15-member squad, K L Rahul was dropped as Dinesh Karthik and Shikhar Dhawan returned.

Also interesting is Shardul Thakur's selection after being dropped for the series against Australia. After playing in Sri Lanka, the Mumbai pacer has another chance to prove himself at the highest level.

India may go in with three spinners against New Zealand who have traditionally struggled on turning wickets in the sub-continent.

With Karthik recalled, there will be pressure on Manish Pandey to retain his place following the Karnataka right-hander's inability to get past the 50-run mark in his last six innings.

'Jinks' Rahane excelled against Australia with four half-centuries in a row, so will he continue opening the innings with Rohit Sharma? Or will India opt for a left-right opening combination, bringing Dhawan back into the playing eleven?

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Harish Kotian / Rediff.com

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