Home
In the lead-up to the forthcoming ODI World Cup, hosted in India, the cricketing circuit is buzzing with speculations and predictions. With the showpiece event around the corner, there's increasing scrutiny over the middle-order selection of the Indian cricket team. The captaincy of Rohit Sharma is presented with a pleasant conundrum, as formidable batters like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Ishan Kishan vie for their rightful spot in the playing XI.
Ishan Kishan's spectacular form with the willow in 2023 has been hard to overlook. However, the recent recovery of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer from injuries makes the selection dilemma even more intricate.
Former Indian cricket stalwart, Mohammad Kaif, recently shed light on this matter. Expressing his views on Star Sports, Kaif said, "Rahul Dravid will know that both (Rahul and Iyer) are the backbone of the Indian middle order and that they will need game time. Ishan played really well, and that's good because there's healthy competition in the team."
Kaif further highlighted the importance of giving the recuperated players, Rahul and Iyer, adequate game time to ensure they're in their best form for the World Cup's inaugural match against Australia. He said, "However, if an in-form player sits out, then it's not a problem because Dravid will want to see Rahul bat at No.5. He has good numbers at No. 5, and you will want him and Iyer to get game time and have that form when they play the first World Cup game against Australia."
However, Kaif's counsel to the Indian team management, including head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma, is to tread cautiously when it comes to workload management. Drawing parallels with Jasprit Bumrah's injury debacle, he warned, "India have seen what happened with Jasprit Bumrah where he was cleared to play by the NCA but then got injured again. So they will need to be careful with Iyer and Rahul and check on how much they need to play and when they need to take breaks."
With India gearing up to face arch-rivals Pakistan in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup this Sunday, expectations are rife about KL Rahul's return to action, post his brief hiatus owing to a niggle. The outcome of this game could provide more clarity regarding India's middle-order plans for the World Cup.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
