World Champions India face an uphill struggle to make it back-to-back victories in Oceania next year despite dominating their current ODI series against Sri Lanka. India will not have the luxury of playing on sub-continental pitches in 2015 and this is one of many reasons why they have been friendless in the betting and are currently among the outsiders in the ODI World Cup market.
MS Dhoni
India have traditionally struggled when touring the rest of the world and they go into next year’s tournament with the second lowest success rate in ODI cricket. Their bowling attack seems to lack the skill and depth needed to deliver success on the world’s biggest stage and with the unfamiliar wickets it seems easy to write off the World Champions. Five players that India will need to cope with the pressure of a nation’s expectations on their shoulders are:
Rohit Sharma
The right-handed opener returned from injury with a bang on Thursday as he created history to become the first player to ever hit two double centuries in ODIs. Sharma tore apart the Sri Lankan bowling in his unbelievable innings and if he can replicate this sort of form in Australia he will propel his side far in the competition.
Sharma will hope to be selected to partner Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order but despite his recent success his place in the team is not yet assured as his performances with the bat outside India leave much to be desired. Analysis of Sharma’s batting statistics shows that he averages a massive 93 when opening on Indian soil but this drops to only 32.53 when he takes the crease on foreign soil in the national jersey. Rohit has a wealth of ODI experience with 125 appearances to his name and if he can master the wickets Down-Under in 2015 he could play a vital part in the upcoming World Cup.
Virat Kohli
The retirement of the great Sachin Tendulkar left a huge void in the hearts of most Indian cricket fans and while no player can fill the ‘little master’s’ boots, Virat Kohli has a big role to play in ensuring India remain at the summit of the world game.
The 26 year old boasts an impressive average of over 50 in ODI cricket and was one of the stars for India in their victorious 2011 campaign. In addition to providing a reliable source of runs with the bat Kohli will have an important role to play in the field in next year’s World Cup as his energy and athleticism is something some Indian sides have lacked in the past.
Akshar Patel
India’s new spin sensation, Akshar Patel, saw his impressive season with Kings XI Punjab rewarded with a place on the ODI tour to Bangladesh. The left-arm orthodox spinner took 16 wickets at an economy rate of 6.22 in the IPL and he has made a solid start at ODI level with 12 wickets from his first eight matches.
Patel’s sudden rise through the ranks should ensure that there is some healthy competition in the spin department which should give the Indian bowling attack a new lease of life. In addition to his stunning exploits with the ball, Patel is also a decent lower order batsman boasting a first class average of over 44 and this fact is likely to make him more attractive to the selectors than his rivals.
Ashish Nehra
India’s bowling attack has come under huge criticism in recent years and veteran Delhi quick Ashish Nehra looks set to be recalled for the upcoming tour of Australia. The left-arm seamer has not played an ODI for his country since the 2011 World Cup but with the current outfit lacking a senior experienced bowler Nehra could be the missing piece to a balanced attack.
Despite his age, the left armer is still able to generate searing pace and he showed some solid form in the recent Champions League T20 taking 10 wickets from five matches. Nehra’s wealth of experience on wickets all over the globe should help the Indian attack to quickly adapt to the surfaces in Australia and New Zealand.
MS Dhoni
A list of key players for India would not be complete without mention of their talismanic skipper MS Dhoni. The superstar wicketkeeper will miss India’s opening Test match in Australia next month to ensure that his cracked thumb, which has sidelined him from the ODI series against Sri Lanka, is fully healed before the World Cup preparations begin.
Dhoni is one of the most destructive lower order batsmen in world cricket and the skipper will need to be at his phenomenal and inspirational best to galvanize his side if they start to falter in the defence of their trophy.