3 bowling combinations India can try in the ODI series vs New Zealand
India's next assignment in the jam-packed home season is a three-match ODI series against the number one ranked team in the said format i.e. New Zealand. The first game will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on January 18.
The two teams had locked horns in an ODI series in New Zealand in November 2022 when the home team won the said series by a margin of 1-0.
Team India have announced a 16-member squad to compete against the Kiwis in the said series. The likes of Axar Patel and K. L. Rahul have missed out on selection due to personal reasons and Arshdeep Singh has been left out. Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, and KS Bharat have been named as their replacements.
India’s squad for NZ ODIs:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are still missing out due to their respective injuries. Hence, the management could consider trying a few options in the bowling department. Here is a look at three such bowling options:
#1 Playing both Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the XI
With the 2023 World Cup less than a year away, Team India could look to field both Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing XI. Both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are not part of the ODI squad to take on New Zealand. Their absence could open the doors for team India to field both Chahal and Yadav in the same match.
The spin duo, popularly known as KULCHA, have tasted success bowling in tandem in the middle overs in ODIs in the past. They tend to pick up wickets and choke the batsmen in the middle overs to put pressure on opponents.
KULCHA last played together in an ODI in July 2021 and the management could look to have them in the playing X1 going into the 2023 World Cup.
#2 Umran Malik bowling with the new ball with Mohammed Siraj
The pacer has played seven ODIs for India and has picked up 12 wickets at an average of 25.25. Out of the said seven ODIs, he has been the second-change bowler on six occasions and the first-change bowler once.
Management could consider giving the new ball to Umran Malik. Malik, with his raw pace, could unsettle the batsmen in the first few overs of the innings and pick up wickets with the new ball.
Siraj has bowled exceptionally well with the new ball in ODIs in recent times. His swing and Malik's pace could be the go-to formula for Team India's future in ODIs.
#3 Shardul Thakur as the third pacer
Shardul Thakur has been recalled to the Indian ODI squad for the series against New Zealand.
He has had a stop-start career in ODIs to date. He made his ODI debut in 2017 and since then has played only 31 ODIs. In the said matches, he has picked up 44 wickets at an average of 33.23.
Thakur has the knack of picking up wickets whenever he comes on to bowl and is a partnership-breaker. He is also a handy batsman lower down the order and can provide the finishing touches to the innings.
Team management could look to get Thakur in the XI and give him some match time as he could be in the reckoning for the 2023 World Cup.