IND vs ENG, 3rd ODI – Fan2Play Fantasy Cricket Tips, Prediction and Playing XI
Match Details
It is the third match of the three-match ODI series and it will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on 28th March, 2021. The match will commence at 1:30 PM IST and it will be telecasted on the Stars Sports and stream live on Hotstar.
Preview
If it was India who kept bouncing back in the T20I series, it is now England’s turn to do the same. This has been a pulsating white-ball leg where the momentum has swayed big time. England kept taking the lead in the T20I series but India kept coming back and eventually won the series.
It was the role reversal in the ODI series. India took the series lead after a terrific come-from-behind win before England bounced back strongly. In fact, it was a proper thrashing that England handed India and this despite the latter racking up 336 batting first.
India’s batting line-up did an excellent job to get to 336 after being reduced to 37/2 inside the first 10 overs. Virat Kohli continued his good run and scored another half-century. KL Rahul slotted in at No. 4 and smashed a fine hundred. But it was Rishabh Pant (77 off 40 balls) and Hardik Pandya (35 off 16 balls) who propelled India to that score and helped them score 126 runs in the last 10 overs.
The England top-order bettered that performance and absolutely smashed the Indian bowling attack to all corners of the MCA Stadium in Pune. Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy gave England another solid start and Ben Stokes came in and built on the platform laid by the openers. Roy was dismissed after he reached his half-century while Bairstow struck a fantastic ton. Stokes fell on 99 and there was a slight wobble with 50 runs to get. But that was never going to trouble England and they chased down 337 with 6.3 overs to spare.
Both teams have shown the might of their batting line-ups and England seem to have more power. India’s slightly slow approach in the middle-overs could’ve cost them apart from their poor bowling effort. England’s bowling attack might need a relook as well.
Thus, the series is set up beautifully once again as the caravan moves to the last and final ODI (game) of this tour. Mind you, England haven’t lost successive ODI series’ since the start of 2015. They lost their last ODI series to Australia at home back in August 2020. India have lost their last two ODI series (against New Zealand and Australia, both away from home).
Probable Playing XIs
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Shardul Thakur/ T Natarajan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna
England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley
Captaincy Picks
Rohit Sharma: Rohit Sharma has had a quiet series so far. The Indian vice-captain has had a couple of scores in the 20s but he hasn’t been able to kick on and get that big score. In the second ODI, he was looking very fluent. However, in both the games, he got out to ordinary deliveries and threw his wicket away. Thus, Rohit is due for a big score and hence, he could be backed as one of the captaincy options.
Jonny Bairstow: Jonny Bairstow is in ominous form and has got huge runs in this ODI series. The England opener has scores of 94 and 124 in the two games so far and he has a strike-rate of 122.47. He has been a very consistent performer for England in ODI cricket at the top of the order. He can consistently get the big runs and hence, he will be a top captaincy pick.
Fan2Play Fantasy Cricket Tips
2-Player Team
Rohit Sharma, Ben Stokes
3-Player Team
Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jonny Bairstow
4-Player Team
Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes
11-Player Team
KL Rahul, Jos Buttler, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Hardik Pandya, Ben Stokes, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Prasidh Krishna
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