Rohit Sharma's India are all set to take on Australia in their ODI World Cup opener at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on October 8, Sunday. With hopes soaring high, fans and experts alike are discussing the optimum team combination that would ensure India has an upper hand in their first game at the showpiece event.
In view of the big game, India's bowling legend Zaheer Khan wants Indian bowlers to go all guns blazing against the mighty Australia with an aggressive bowling tactics. Zaheer wants Indian formidable pace troika of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah to feature in the same line-up against Australia. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Khan emphasised his preference for Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah to spearhead India's pace attack.
The current strategy embraced by Rohit Sharma's Indian team leans towards reinforcing their batting lineup. Typically, the team selects two out of the aforementioned three pacers, complemented by the all-rounding prowess of Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya.
Zaheer was candid in expressing his beliefs, saying, "I've been saying that Shami, Bumrah, and Siraj are going to form a very formidable attack if you want to be aggressive. So you know, there are opponents which you will play against where you have to take wickets to set the tone. And I think if you want to be aggressive as a tactical move, then this attack should be there."
The former cricketing star urged the team management to be adaptive and not be confined to a fixed playing XI. He advocated for rotation based on the nature of the opposition and on-ground conditions. Drawing focus to the curtain-raiser against Australia in Chennai, Zaheer highlighted the potential of fielding a three-pronged spin attack featuring R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Emphasizing the importance of adaptability, Khan stated, "I've been saying that you can't be prisoners of your own thoughts. You've got to be a little flexible in terms of tactically staying ahead of certain opposition teams. And that is something which I'm waiting to see that I hope that flexibility is there."
Zaheer's words carried a distinct note of admiration when discussing Mohammed Siraj's journey in international cricket. The pacer's meteoric rise over the past few years has certainly caught everyone's attention. "Bumrah has not been around for a while, so yeah, he [Siraj] has taken the opportunity with both hands and it's great to see. He has produced a lot of good performances and just he's getting better and better," lauded Khan.
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