Less than two months remain before the 2023 ODI World Cup kick-offs in India. Under Rohit Sharma's captaincy, Team India is expected to make a deep run in the tournament and repeat the heroics of the 2011 Indian side that lifted the glittering trophy under MS Dhoni's captaincy. The Men in Blue will be playing in a familiar setting that somewhat gives India a slight edge over the other teams.
Having said that, there are still certain areas that require immediate tending and former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has pointed out one specific department that needs to perform exceedingly well for India to win the World Cup.
In the absence of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, India's middle order has looked extremely shaky. The two batters are currently recovering from their respective injuries and there are still a lot of uncertainties about the duo's potential return.
Yuvraj stressed on the importance of having reliable batters in the middle order who can soak the pressure and bail the team out of precarious situations.
"I can be a patriot and say 'India will win because I am an Indian.' But I see a lot of concerns in the Indian middle order because of injuries. If those concerns are not resolved, we will struggle, especially in pressure games. Don't experiment in pressure games. The skill work to bat in the middle order is very different from that of an opener. Is there anybody there (in team management) who is working around the guys that will be playing in the middle order? That's the question mark – the middle order is not ready, so someone will have to make them ready," said Yuvraj on the Cricket Basu YouTube channel, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
"If your openers are out early, you need to build a partnership. (Middle order) batsmen are not simply flamboyant stroke-makers that occupy the crease and start hitting. He has to absorb pressure, leave a few balls, and create a partnership. It's a difficult job, somebody has to be experienced over there," he added.
The quadrennial competition will commence on October 5 and India will play a handful of ODIs before the marquee tournament. The Men in Blue will have to figure out the players and combinations during the 2023 Asia Cup and the three-match ODI series against Australia.
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