Kolkata: India’s second ODI against West Indies in Guwahati on Wednesday will be about more than taking a 2-0 lead in the series. With the next ODI World Cup set to test the selectors, every game is becoming another opportunity for India to try out combinations, expose youngsters to pressure and work out which players can thrive in different phases of a match.
That was the message from India bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule ahead of the second ODI, with the team management treating the home series as an important part of a longer-term preparation process.
The challenge for India is that its preparation is happening alongside several other tournaments, including the Asian Games. Yet Bahutule believes the depth available to Indian cricket has allowed the selectors and management to distribute players across teams without compromising the quality of the sides. “Asian Games are as important as any other tournament. The home series is also very important,” Bahutule said.
The result is an unusual but potentially valuable situation for India. With multiple teams operating simultaneously, players who might otherwise have spent an entire season waiting for an opportunity are being given competitive cricket. For the Indian team, that creates a larger pool from which to assess players before the World Cup, to be played in SA late next year. “Each one gets an opportunity to perform,” Bahutule said. “It is a good platform for somebody for us to have a look at.”
Opportunity to experiment
The first ODI provided India with one such opportunity, and Guwahati could bring more experimentation. Bahutule made it clear that India are not simply looking for their best eleven at this stage. Rather, they are trying to understand how different players fit into different roles.
The use of Nitish Kumar Reddy with the new ball was part of that exercise. “There are different bowlers who can bowl in different phases of the game,” he said. “During this series we will come across certain changes.” That could mean opportunities for players such as Gurnoor Brar, including the possibility of being asked to bowl with the new ball, Bahutule said.
The larger question is how India construct their pace attack for the World Cup. The immediate priority, however, is to gather enough evidence to make up a robust pool of players. “With the fast bowlers, it will be important to see who would actively be the three fast bowlers,” he said.
“Maybe a fourth seamer, an allrounder. That is yet to be seen. But ample opportunities will be given to all the bowlers to bowl in different phases.”
Value of experience
Amid the experimentation, India still have players who provide a bridge between the present and the World Cup cycle. Kuldeep Yadav is one of them. Bahutule described the wrist-spinner as a “match winner” and highlighted his workload and preparation. Kuldeep’s county stint, where he bowled a substantial number of overs, has added to his preparation ahead of the series.
The same assurance comes from the presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Bahutule said Kohli continues to work on his game and fitness despite everything he has achieved. “He is somebody who wants to improve in spite of achieving so much,” he said. “And Rohit also being in the side, both of them just get that experience into the side. Which I think all the youngsters rub upon. They thrive upon their experience, the conversations they have.”
Preparing for South Africa
With the longer term target being the World Cup, Bahutule acknowledged that India can’t simply reproduce South African pitches. However, the bounce and pace seen in Thiruvananthapuram may have prepared them to some extent for the challenges they may encounter.
“There was lot of purchase for the fast bowlers, spinners and it was excellent to bat on,” said Bahutule. “So we might look at it as something you can expect in South Africa where there will be bounce. There might be less turn and be helpful for the fast bowlers.”
India therefore would ideally want to identify players capable of handling bounce, reduced turn and greater assistance for fast bowlers. That makes Guwahati another piece of a much larger puzzle. India have the experience as well as a deep pool of emerging players. With multiple all-round options and several fast-bowling candidates already identified, what remains is to determine how those pieces fit together.