IND vs ENG, 3rd ODI: India looks to iron out chinks ahead of Champions Trophy in dead rubber against England

Beyond the enticing prospect of sweeping the series, ironing out chinks will be higher on India’s agenda for the third One-Day International against England, its final dry run before the ICC Champions Trophy, in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

Middle-order collapses in the first two ODIs denied it lopsided victories which were well warranted after Shubman Gill’s 96-ball 87 in Nagpur and Rohit Sharma’s century in Cuttack. India slipped from 258 for three to 286 for six in Cuttack in the space of five overs. The slide was even more drastic in Nagpur as it lost three wickets for 14 runs between the 34th and 37th overs.

The surges from the opening batters were enough to cushion these falls and see India past the finish line, but Gautam Gambhir, for whom the Champions Trophy could be a shot at salvation following India’s meek Test performances, would want his batters firing on all cylinders for the big event.

For the umpteenth time, KL Rahul found himself accommodating for the team’s goals. He averages 57 batting at number five in ODIs, but was moved to six, where he had batted only twice before the series, as India persisted with fielding a left-right combination through the middle phase.

Axar Patel, a favourable match-up against the leg-spin of Adil Rashid, pulled his weight when called upon at number five, scoring 52 and 41 in the two games. However, he could once again play the conventional lower middle-order utility all-rounder to allow more batting minutes to Rahul.

A prolonged stay at the crease would go a long way for Virat Kohli too. Returning to the side in Cuttack after a brief knee injury, the talisman succumbed to his serial nemesis Rashid. In the nine ODI innings Kohli has faced the leggie, he has scored at a strike rate of 91 but has been dismissed four times and averages just 27.

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If Rohit’s blitz in the second game did not do the trick, Kohli hitting his strides would be more than enough to galvanize India before its Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh on February 20.

Though it has been confronted with the scenario for a while now, India might also need to be fully prepared for Jasprit Bumrah’s unavailability for the Champions Trophy. That will require far more incursion from Mohammed Shami, who will lead the pace battery in Dubai, than his yield of two wickets at the expense of 104 runs in the first two ODIs.

With Hardik Pandya sealed as the third option, the troika of pacers will be completed by either Harshit Rana or Arshdeep Singh. The latter is yet to feature in the series and might get a chance to limber up in Ahmedabad.

Testing the bench strength would seem a luxury to Jos Buttler, whose side has looked unsettled and uncertain with its bowling combinations.

Since the start of 2022, England’s bowling average of almost 36 is the second-worst among full-member nations, sitting above only Zimbabwe which averages over 40. Its economy rate of 6.24 since the ODI World Cup 2023 is the worst among full members.

Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, its pace spearheads, are yet to bowl in tandem in this series. But what would pinch more, was how the potency of their venomous pace evaporated in the face of an early onslaught, first by Gill and Shreyas Iyer during the first ODI and then by Rohit in the second. The inexperience of the support cast –- Saqib Mahmood, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Brydon Carse was laid bare as a result.

England’s silver lining this series has come in the return of Joe Root, who offers the potential to consolidate upon the explosive starts from Phil Salt and Ben Duckett. The opening pair averages 49 in the seven innings it has opened and scores at 6.79 an over.

But each of England’s top three averages less than 35 against left-arm orthodox spin and have been troubled by Ravindra Jadeja and Axar through the two games. Wednesday’s contest will offer a chance to take on their weakness.

Harry Brook gave a glimpse of regaining form in the second ODI before his stay was cut short on 31 courtesy of a diving catch from Gill. A noteworthy essay before its Champions Trophy campaign would bring impetus to an ailing unit that relies heavily on its batters.

While the outcome of this series may hold little context in the grander scheme of things, Buttler would be desperate for a win in Ahmedabad, hoping to prevent England’s form, or rather the lack of it, from snowballing into a graver crisis that could ravage yet another ICC tournament.