Iyer, SKY and Ashwin tick key boxes for India before World Cup

These three one-day matches against Australia were the Indian cricket team’s last chance before the deadline to submit to the ICC their final 2023 World Cup squad, and from victories in Mohali, Indore and Rajkot the management should have gleaned all that was left to be.

India rested for the first two matches Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav; Jasprit Bumrah missed the second ODI for personal reasons; and for the final ODI in Rajkot, there was no Pandya, Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan or Axar Patel on account of a mix of rest, fitness and “personal things” in the words of the captain, Rohit.

After big wins in the first two matches, India paid the price for a bowling effort lacking desire in Rajkot and a rejigged batting lineup, losing to Australia by 66 runs, but with the series in the bag it did not make a difference.

The only real remaining pieces of the proverbial jigsaw puzzle that the Indian team management needed to look at from these three ODIs were four. One, whether Shreyas Iyer could spend some time at the crease after an interrupted and far from ideal comeback from injury. Two, whether Suryakumar Yadav – whose only chances in ODIs have come when someone has been rested or injured – could carry some much-needed form into the World Cup should he at any point in the tournament be called into the XI. Three, if the recalled Ravichandran Ashwin could push his World Cup credentials given he had played just two ODIs in six years. And four, whether Bumrah could bowl his full quota of ten overs in an ODI since he returned after 11 months away.

Each player gave their response. After being run out in Mohali, in the next. Match Iyer reminded anyone who had doubts that his rightful spot in the lineup is as India’s No 5, when he scored 105 off 90 balls in the second match. In the third game he made 48 off 43 deliveries.

Suryakumar, who entered the series with an ODI batting average of under 25, reeled off superb half-centuries in the first two matches – the latter a stunning unbeaten 72 off 37 deliveries – to go into his first World Cup with some form and renewed confidence. Ashwin played in Mohali and Indore and took four wickets, which should have sealed his World Cup berth.

Bumrah bowled ten overs across three spells in the first ODI for figures of 10-2-43-1 and then in the last match, played on a road of a pitch, he came back from conceding 51 runs from his first five overs to end with 3/81. A tough second match, but bowling 20 overs in two matches is the best news where Bumrah is concerned given how long it had been since he previously bowled ten overs in an ODI.

Why India chose to open with Ruturaj Gaikwad in the first two ODIs when he is not part of their World Cup plans, and will instead lead the country at the Asian Games next month, is a bit puzzling. But other than that, whatever tinkering had to be done and whoever had to be judged, has been done.

India’s top six for the World Cup picks itself, on form and reputation: Rohit, Gill, Kohli, Iyer, KL Rahul and Pandya. Jadeja, on status more than form, will slot in at No 7. Who bats at eight depends on which allrounder India choose based on conditions across the nine venues for the league stage. Kuldeep, Bumrah and Siraj pick themselves to round out India’s preferred World Cup team.

That Shami used his chance in Mohali to take five wickets and the match award and that Suryakumar backed the faith in him with two match-winning fifties is good for India because they know that the two players can step into a World Cup match with some form to show for. Neither will start the tournament, such is India’s depth. But to see Shami and Suryakumar bounce back from lackluster Asia Cup performances must have been very heartening for the management.

By beating a depleted Australia 2-1, this Indian team has underscored why, based on an incomparable home record, they are one of the prime contenders for the World Cup. Ranked No 1 in ODIs, with the No 1 ranked ODI bowler in Mohammed Siraj and No 2 ODI batsman in Gill, India head into the home World Cup with plenty of promise. By overturning some indifferent player form and injury concerns to win the Asia Cup, and now with this series win, the home team has sent out a warning to anyone who was not watching closely.