Having already secured the series win, India now faces a crucial decision regarding the third and final ODI against England at Ahmedabad. Many would have expected team management to experiment with the playing XI; however, former batting coach Sanjay Bangar has advised against unnecessary changes, with the emphasis laid upon continuity and stability.
The series was sealed by India with a difficult win by four wickets in Cuttack, courtesy Rohit Sharma’s dominating ton and a mature knock of 60 runs by Shubman Gill.
As the last ODI is pretty much a formality, there are voices asking for players like Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar to be given a go. However, Bangar, speaking to JioCinema, believes that India should keep their current XI intact to keep the momentum going into the subsequent ICC Champions Trophy.
“I don’t think Yashasvi Jaiswal needs to play. If there is merit, you can play Arshdeep Singh or Rishabh Pant, but with only one match left, it might be better to continue with the current XI. KL Rahul has not had many chances to bat long and his keeping has been solid. It’s important to trust him,” stated Bangar.
Rohit did quite some damage during the course of the match through his unbeaten knock of 119 in 90 deliveries, and India’s work rendered the chase relatively easy for them. Bangar highlighted Rohit’s knock with the comment that “Rohit Sharma’s innings and his partnership with Shubman Gill didn’t let England come back into the match. His intent made the match one-sided.”
Former Indian all-rounder Suresh Raina has shared the same view with Bangar in arguing that the same combination be retained. “The captain and the vice-captain led from the front. Rohit hit sixes in different areas, and I feel that he should continue to play with the same intent in every game. Arshdeep could be an option if the team wants to rest Mohammad Shami, but that’s not how sharp he’s looking right now, but rather, I would prefer to see the same team that has been doing well so far,” Raina expressed.
India’s pace attack has remained one of the major talking points with respect to the team’s selections. Mohammad Shami and Harshit Rana have, as things stand, unclipped the new ball together, but with Harshit excluded from India’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, there has been speculation that Arshdeep Singh may soon be called up for a warm-up game before the showpiece ICC event. That said, Bangar is of the opinion that there is no better thing than keeping it rhythm with the existing attack.
Another matter of concern was KL Rahul’s current form. The wicketkeeper-batter has not stacked up a significant score in this current series due to which Rishabh Pant’s inclusion has been summoned. Though Pant is indeed going to be a part of India’s plans, Bangar is not in favor of a random change causing a disbalance.
