Image Courtesy : BCCI
After losing the Test series 3-1 to England only few days back, Team India now has to recollect itself and look forward to the English challenge in the shorter format of the game. The five match ODI series will kick off from Bristol – venue that hosted its last international ODI game between the two teams in August 2007- and not much has changed for Team India since then as except for MS Dhoni no other Indian cricketer from the current squad has the experience of playing on this ground. However, Bristol has been lucky for India as it has won all its three games that they have played here.
There have been some radical changes in the Indian dressing room after its Test series defeat, and the challenge for MS Dhoni and his boys will be to regroup after their poor show in the Test series and once again find the winning momentum, the one which they are best known for.
“The change in format makes a huge difference. In Tests there is a pressure of survival on you and you get criticized when you get out playing an attacking shot. We now move to a format where after getting in, you have to play your shots and express yourself. With the new ODI rules, there is also a change in how the cricket is played in the ODIs” said, the Indian skipper on the eve of the Bristol game.
The main worry for the Indian dressing camp will still be its batting form as its failure in the last two Tests of the series has resulted in humiliating defeats for them.. With Virat Kohli getting few runs in the warm up game against Middlesex, the Indian camp would have high hopes from the right-handed batsmen to go all guns blazing, as he is someone who have had a terrific run in this format of the game in the past few months and can win matches for India single-handedly.
Similarly, a lot would be expected from the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane , who again will have a point to prove after their not so good form in the Test series.
On the other hand, England will like to carry their winning form going into this series as not many of their players have changed for the ODI format from their Test squad. However, England’s recent worry has been its One-day form as they have won only six games in the last 14 matches – that they have played this year.
With both the teams now looking ahead for the preparations of the upcoming World Cup, it will be a great opportunity for them to try and test their combinations and get into the winning groove well in time.
