Moneyball9 Fantasy Tips: 2nd ODI - Zimbabwe vs India
As expected, India thrashed Zimbabwe in the first ODI and the action resumes in less than 48 hours after the conclusion of that game. Once again the toss could play a crucial role with the conditions assisting seamers early on so pick your fantasy team wisely. The most important factor to consider here is that based on form, the price tags of few players have been changed which would actually force you to include a few Zimbabwean players rather than filling the team fully with Indian players. Here's an analysis on the players who can be considered:
Batsmen:
Karun Nair might have flopped on his debut but he will now have a fair idea of what to expect when the teams lock horns once again. The management probably won't be dropping him so soon and he will look to make the most of the opportunity. Nair watched his state mate KL Rahul smash a ton and that would inspire him to do better.
Ambati Rayudu might have begun slowly in the run chase but once he got settled, he made it count and that should help him do well again in the second game especially if India bat first in challenging conditions. He will cost 6500 rupees which is decent considering his quality. Manish Pandey is quite expensive at 8000 and if India once again chase a small total, he might not be needed so picking him could be a waste of money. From Zimbabwe's point of view, Craig Ervine looks like a good option considering he spent some time in the middle during the first ODI.
Hamilton Masakadza is expensive at 8000 and he was also pushed to No. 3 in the batting order. So users can wait for a while and see how he performs in order to pick him for the future games. The other Zimbabwean ideally shouldn't considered at the moment considering their numbers from the series opener. But considering the fact that you will have to manage your budget, you will have to eventually pick one.
Wicket-keeper batsman:
This is a no-brainer! After his exploits in the first game, KL Rahul is once again the number one choice for the wicket-keeper batsman slot. But considering his form, his price tag has been reworked to create a 'headache' for the users. Initially, he was available for just 4500 bucks but now he will cost you 7000. But it should be totally worth it considering Dhoni's batting position and Zimbabwean keeper's form.
All-rounder:
This is where it gets trickier! Out of the six all-rounders listed in the game, only two played in the first ODI and the scenario in all likelihood won't change. In that case, your options are once again limited with only Axar Patel and Elton Chigumbura to choose from. Axar's value slightly increased to 8500 after his performance in the first ODI. Chigumbura contributed a bit with the bat and he can be considered as well and if you are looking to save up some money, pick the Zimbabwean who will cost a tad lesser.
Bowlers:
Jasprit Bumrah's value has skyrocketed to 9000 bucks after he picked up four wickets and hence you might find it extremely difficult to accomodate him. You would also expect Lance Klusener to have worked with his batsmen to deal him better. One of the two new ball bowlers Dhawal Kulkarni or Barindar Sran should be picked considering the seamer friendly conditions.
You can go on an all out attack mode by picking both those seamers who will cost you 7000 each or can opt for someone like Yuzvendra Chahal who could cause quite an impact in the middle overs. Likewise, in order to balance the books, the user should opt for a Zimbabwean bowler as well.
Our ideal team: Karun Nair, Craig Ervine, Ambati Rayudu, KL Rahul, Elton Chigumbura, Dhawal Kulkarni, Tendai Chatara and Yuzvendra Chahal.
DISCLAIMER: The article just contains suggestions and Sportskeeda are not responsible or liable for the outcome.