Discussion on India's best ODI XI for WC 2023

[sandeep]

 

 

1. Right-hand Attacking Opener - Prithvi Shaw / KL Rahul
2. Left-hand Attacking Opener - if can keep wickets, even better.  Rishabh Pant / Ishan Kishan / DD Paddikal 
3. Rohit Sharma  -  3,4 and 5 are the only slots for specialist batsmen who don't bowl, and they better be damn good.
4. Virat Kohli
5. KL Rahul / Suryakumar Yadav
6. Hardik Pandya (assuming full fitness, assuming batting form, assuming he can bowl 4-5 overs)  - #6 and #7 have to represent an option of bowling a solid 15 overs if needed.
7. Washington Sundar / Abhishek Sharma / Abdul Samad /  (boundary hitting lower order bat of quality who can bowl 5+ overs of spin, ideally 10).
8. Ashwin / Deepak Chahar / (10 over bowler who can throw his bat around a bit)
9. Wicket-taking spinner or pace bowler. Batting ability secondary bonus.  
10. Shami / Siraj
11. Jasprit Boomrah

 

 

Next ODI WC is in India, and projecting from where we stand as a team and squad today, I'd say its a very safe bet that India is going to break the long-running streak of WC host teams winning the ODI tournament.   

 

India needs an overhaul in its ODI setup, across both batting and bowling.  

 

In Indian conditions, having a couple of spin bowling allrounders - preferably batting allrounders but ones that are genuinely decent with the ball, is crucial.  

 

Also crucial is having a batting top order that can impose its will on bowlers and threaten to win the game solely with the bat, every time they walk out on to the pitch.  Modern ODI cricket is about scoring big runs up front, at T20 rates, not to "build a platform", aim for conservative totals, and if we are lucky, try to get 20 odd runs extra at the 'death'.  In Indian conditions, India has more than enough batting talent available to put up an imposing batting unit topped up with enforcer batsmen who can dismantle bowlers and kill games in the first 20 overs.  

 

BUT, the Indian team is not constructed in that mould.  It simply isn't.  Top order batting slots are fiercely contested and held on to, by squatting "seniors".  

 

This needs to change.  And it needs to change today, if India is to have a genuine chance at winning the ODI WC.  

 

The reality is that whether India wins the ODI WC or not, the cricket economy continues to function more or less at the same rate of return for the controlling power-wielding stakeholders.  That is the crux of the problem.  The agents that possess the power and capacity for change, necessary change, are not really incentivized to do so.  In fact, every incentive is constructed for them to continue playing "safe" cricket, and tout mundane statistics such as team winning "percentage" in the aggregate, gaudy individual 'benchmarks" etc.  

 

And then we sit here, complain, and wonder why is Team India playing ODI cricket the way they do.  I mean, why would they do any different.

 

 

Anyway, my cynicism aside, I have put up a starting XI that I'd want to see India put out there for ODI games in the lead-up to the WC.  Thoughts? Disagreements? Questions?  

 

Note:  I have not included Shreyas Iyer in the team or the options - I do not believe him to be of top-shelf quality as a batsman, and don't think he belongs in the Indian team.  His time to get a proper run was a few years ago, and to put it simply, since he doesn't bowl, he's just not good enough to contend for a squad spot, let alone a starting XI slot.

Edited January 20, 2022 by sandeep

[zen]

No need to design L-R combinations unless prominent choices are available ... For e.g. Aus used to open with Hayden & Gilchrist 

 

[Prabhdeep Singh]

Shaw

Rohit

Dhawan

Kohli

Rahul (WK)

R Jadeja

A Tendulkar (or any other fast bowling allrounder, India have tried everyone else, you never know)

R Ashwin

R Bishnoi

M Shami

J Bumrah

[Majestic]

Rohit(c)

Dhawan

Kohli

KL

Pant(wkt)

Pandya

Jadeja

Shardul

Spinner

Siraj

Bumrah

[sandeep]

18 minutes ago, Prabhdeep Singh said:

Shaw

Rohit

Dhawan

Kohli

Rahul (WK)

R Jadeja

A Tendulkar (or any other fast bowling allrounder, India have tried everyone else, you never know)

R Ashwin

R Bishnoi

M Shami

J Bumrah

 

 

Arjun tendulkar??  Banjo this guy wouldn't qualify to play in Dadar XI, forget Mumbai or India.  

[Prabhdeep Singh]

17 minutes ago, sandeep said:

 

 

Arjun tendulkar??  Banjo this guy wouldn't qualify to play in Dadar XI, forget Mumbai or India.  

 

You never know in Indian cricket:

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/arjun-tendulkar-named-in-mumbai-s-ranji-trophy-squad-1294778

[wanted_desi]

Nothing will happen, they are going to that lame excuse again from last WC: Where prior 16 months, they were hesitant giving youngsters chance, because they felt it was already too late.

 

KL, Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Iyer and Pant. Thats your line up, and can bet my house on it. 

[HamHindustani]

Shikhar Dhawan

KL Rahul

Virat Kohli

Rohit Sharma - ( if not captain, he could have opened the batting )

Shreyas Iyer

Rishabh Pant

Ravindra Jadeja

Spinner , if no one else then unfortunately Ashwin

Siraj

Shami

Bumrah

 

 

[Vijy]

1. Shaw/Dhawan, 2. Pant (wk), 3. Rohit (c), 4. Gaekwad, 5. KLR/SKY, 6. Hardik/Jaddu, 7. Lord Thakur/D. Chahar, 8. Axar, 9. Markande/Ashwin, 10. Prasidh/Shami, 11. Siraj/Bumrah

[Ankit_sharma03]

1. Dhawan
2. Rohit
3. Kohli
4. Pant 
5. KL
6. Hardik
7. Jaddu

 

• Dhawan- I hve been myself wanting to get away from it but he is still batting beautifully. In SA his timing was as good as ever. Also Age logic is n always will be stupid 

Positives

• Always turns up in Wc
• Leftie
• Experienced
• In great touch 

Negative

• Has shown signs of being a lil late against very high pace (but as now nothing major )
• Gets stuck against spin in middle but off spin , which teams dnt have much 
• Not as quick starter as we wud  want

 

Now why ill choose him over others

 

Dhawan vs Kishen, Shaw, Ruturaj, Venkatesh iyer , Gill 

 

• Kishen - Lacks consistency n adaptability, He hasnt been consistent anywhere even in IPL apart from maybe 1-2 seasons. Ok fine will take it for his intent but he lacks adaptability in different conditions . ODI cricket is 50 overs , 30-40 that to inconsistently will not work now days.  
• Shaw- lacks consistency , ok will take it for his fireworks but he also has issues against spin and throws his wkt against them a lot so we ll have another one with spin probelms
• Ruturaj - anyone who think he plays fast is living in lala land...his game is same as kohli
  His s.r in IPL from 2019 is 114 ( even slower then slow Rohit, Rahul)
• Gill-  no positive over dhawan 
• Venky- not international standard 

 

Pant @ 4 - Wanted him to open but he brings in a dimension at 4 that yuvi use to . Also need someone to destroy wrist spin as KL, Rohit, Kohli all have had issues against wrist spin in recent years . So a leftie or a good player of spin liek mayank has to bat at 4 in between Kohli n KL 

 

Jaddu- Wkts will turn and dry up in 2nd half of Wc and jaddu will play a big role in Wc 2023 

 

 

 

Backups 

 

Opener- Ill take shaw as backup
No. 4 - Mayank ( He is the best player of spin in India and plays it much better then shreyas even fast bowling so why not him )

 

 

Now many will say its not a 350 team, yes it isnt but the Wc wnt be a 350 Wc
 

 

 

 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Ankit_sharma03

[Jay]

First of all. 

No more than 2 oldies up top. Infact one is enough but yes that won't happen.

Ashwin loi career is over

Shami is old now

Go with siraj or hell unleash umran I'd he is good enough

Axar in at 9

Chahar at 8

7 can be sundar or jaddu

 

Bishnoi is the alternative option to axar if he can Bat.