India vs Australia 2nd ODI: India’s got momentum, but Shami vs Shardul debate far from settled

INDORE: India are building up steam as the World Cup approaches, ticking boxes on the way, getting battle ready. Jasprit Bumrah looks sharp, Shubman Gill has regained his midas touch and KL Rahul has settled well in the middle-order as if he was never away from the action.
But there are few issues the team management would like to iron out in the remaining ODIs against Australia, second of which will be played on Sunday at the Holkar Stadium where they have never lost in six matches.
The top-most will be to take a call on whether to play Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami together. The voices to unleash the trio got louder after Shami’s Man of the Match performance of 5-51 in Mohali. In contrast, the third pacer Shardul Thakur ended up as the most expensive bowler as he conceded 78 in 10 overs.

The think-tank have preferred Shardul instead of Shami or Siraj as it offers Men in Blue the batting depth which they feel will be a necessity during the course of the World Cup. With Kuldeep Yadav expected to start in the quadrennial event, India are staring at a long tail-from No. 8 to 11- starting with Bumrah, Siraj and Shami.
But when Shami’s numbers are compared with Thakur the latter edges ahead. One, however, can’t discredit Thakur as the first ODI was a rare off day he encountered in recent times. After all, he merits a place in the squad considering his knack to pick wickets when the team requires.
On Friday, Shami said that he doesn’t mind the rotation policy as it has “got team the results”. “I believe before the World Cup, you shouldn’t put too much workload by playing back-to-back games, and it’s going well, and we are getting good results,” the right-arm pacer added but deep down he will be itching to put his head down and get going.
Another problem that the team needs to find a solution for is whether to persist with Shreyas Iyer in the middle order or replace him with either Ishan Kishan or Suryakumar Yadav. Iyer, who has been troubled by back issues in recent months, looked jittery in Mohali before running himself out. In contrast, Kishan and Surya have put in performances that warrant a place in the starting XI.
Kishan showed in the Asia Cup that he can play well in the middle-order as well and it also gives the team a left-handed option to upset the opposition rhythm. Surya, too, shed his bludgeoning image and made a conscious effort to stay at the crease to see India over the line in the company of stand-in skipper KL Rahul in Mohali.
His happiness can be judged from his response post-match. “That was what I was dreaming of when I started playing this format-try and bat till the end as much as possible and finish the game for the team. (Earlier) I think I was hurrying a bit. I thought, let’s take a little bit more time, calm myself, take it slowly and try to bat deep,” said the Mumbai batter.
The fielding as well as Rahul’s keeping in another area which needs to be addressed. “Caution: India may drop the World Cup if they don’t catch well. Batting and bowling can win matches but so can catches,” Mohammed Kaif’s post on X sums up how bad India have been in the field- and while catching-in the Asia Cup and it continued in Mohali as well.
Also, while Rahul the batter looks at ease, the same can’t be said about Rahul the ‘keeper, who has given jitters from time-to-time just like the missed run-out of Marnus Labuschagne where he had ample time to dislodge the bails but couldn’t collect the ball.
India have stepped on the gas at the right time. Creasing out these issues will make sure they throttle all the way to the summit.
Belter in the offing
Even though there is a change of guard at the Holkar Stadium with Manohar Jamle taking over as chief curator from veteran Samundar Singh Chauhan a few months back, the pitch on offer for the second ODI looks to be full of runs continuing the tradition of Indore producing batting-friendly wickets for ODIs.