A problem of plenty for the Indian cricket team
India, no doubt go into the World Cup as red hot favorites to win the tournament. Such has been the dominance of the Indian team, that even when the World Cup is in England, where conditions are not that easy to adapt, everyone reckons that they will go all the way.
The first ODI against Australia was the perfect start for team India. The middle-order batting was tested. Chasing 237 on a tricky wicket, India had to ensure that there were no mini collapses. But that is exactly what happened. Maybe it was a good thing as it put the batting order to test. MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav stitched a solid partnership to take India home. In the end, India chased the target comfortably.
Ravindra Jadeja also performed brilliantly with the ball. He bowled a miserly spell conceding just 33 runs in 10 overs. What we now have is three quality spinners in Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Yuzvendra Chahal, three top fast bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and three all-rounders in Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, and Vijay Shankar.
Unfortunately, there are only eleven places in a team. In a tournament like the World Cup, it is ideal to not mix and match the team too much. A settled combination is always better for the stability of the team. We are most likely to see Jadhav and Pandya in the playing eleven with Shankar as the backup.
Who will feature in the bowling department is a million dollar question. It is here where the team's think tank has to be very careful. Sometimes when there are too many choices, it is very easy to make a mistake and make the wrong decision.
In today's match, Rishabh Pant didn't feature in the playing eleven. So it's important for team India to give him a run as well, but the question of who would go out for him to come in arises. Ambati Rayudu has shown some good form, so it will be difficult to leave him out. Constant changes in the team might also start affecting the performances of the players.
So, while it's always better to have a problem of plenty, it also leads to complacency and mistakes. The World Cup is a tournament where a team cannot afford to make mistakes. One mistake and the pressure mounts significantly, which is something that no one can afford in a tournament like that.