India vs Australia: India look to sort out concerns in second ODI against Australia

cricket

Updated: Mar 05, 2019 08:25 IST

Opener Shikhar Dhawan looked solid in the nets. He timed the ball sweetly too. But when it comes to action in the middle, his bat has gone through a barren patch in recent times.

Since the high of Asia Cup, where Dhawan scored two centuries, the 33-year-old has had just two fifty-plus scores in the last 15 innings.

With the World Cup around the corner and KL Rahul waiting in the wings, the pressure will be on the southpaw to bring out his A-game when he strides out for the second ODI against Australia on Tuesday.

The team think-tank is known to give a long rope to proven performers but it remains to be seen whether they keep the faith in Dhawan or that the second opener’s spot is tilting towards Rahul.

READ: Numbers reveal stunning MS Dhoni revival, massive concern for Australia

Along with Rohit Sharma, Dhawan has formed the best opening duo in ODIs in world cricket since they began the joint-venture during the England tour in 2013. In 97 innings, they have amassed 4,322 runs so will it be wise to break the combination with just four ODIs remaining before the quadrennial showpiece?

For Dhawan to avoid it, he will have put his head down, avoid soft dismissals to get his mojo back. In terms of number of innings without a century this has been the longest for Dhawan so he would know that time could be running out.

Middle-order debate

Besides the opening combination, the other spots India would look to sort out before the World Cup would be the one in the middle-order, currently occupied by Ambati Rayudu, and the fifth bowler.

Rayudu featured at No. 4 in the opening ODI in Hyderabad. It is a spot where India have tried many players, from Ajinkya Rahane to Dinesh Karthik in recent times with Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer in between, before settling on Rayudu.

There has also been talk of either skipper Kohli moving a rung below from his usual No. 3 spot or MS Dhoni moving to No. 4. Rayudu has done well in the opportunities he has got but it seems the team management is still scanning for options.

MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja during a practice session ahead of the 2nd ODI. ( PTI )

Rishabh Pant may get a look in, either here and in the matches that follow, and is tipped to bat at No. 4 if Kolhi decides to occupy the slot immediately above.

Chief selector MSK Prasad had spoken about playing Pant in the top-order during this series after the wicketkeeper-batsman was preferred over Karthik for last series before the World Cup.

If not for the accidental discovery of Kedar Jadhav, India would have had a major headache to find cover for the bowlers; more specifically the fifth bowler.

Since the departure of Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, none of the top-six batsmen could turn his arm effectively. Barring Jadhav, none from the current team has the ability to bail out the fifth bowler like Pune-player did in the first ODI where Vijay Shankar went for 22 in three overs.

While Shankar has challenged Hardik Pandya recently for the all-rounder’s spot, the latter looks to be the favourite. And once Pandya returns from injury, his task will be bowl his quota of overs effectively.

India have never lost to Australia at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in three meetings and they will look to maintain the record even as they try covering bases for the World Cup.