Australia series is India’s last chance to sort out World Cup squad

September 22, 24 and 27 remain the Indian cricket team’s last chances to fine-tune their World Cup squad, because a day after the ODI series against Australia ends is the date for all countries to submit their final squads for the quadrennial event starting October 5. In resting seven players for some point across these three ODIs versus Australia, India’s selectors have already caused a flurry. Compare this to pre-tournament favourites Australia, who have named their full-strength World Cup squad for this series.

Resting Hardik Pandya makes sense, given his all-round importance at the World Cup. Ditto, at least for two matches, for Jasprit Bumrah. But why have Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Kuldeep Yadav been rested? Since March, has played only 113 deliveries in ODI cricket of which 94 came during his unbeaten 122 against Pakistan at the Asia Cup recently. I cannot fathom that Kohli and Rohit asked the BCCI for rest ahead of the World Cup.

And regarding Rohit’s comments at the squad announcement that India are looking to “protect” Kuldeep, just what are they protecting him from? Kuldeep made his Test debut against Australia in 2017, he has played eight bilateral white-ball series versus them and was seen during the 2019 ODI World Cup. He is not a fast bowler, who stands to strain himself across 30 overs in this upcoming series. Most pertinently, Kuldeep is a rhythm and confidence bowler who needs game time and his captain’s confidence to be at his best.

It is clear to this writer that India’s captain, coach and chief selector are not on the same page. Fuzzy logic, if you will, regarding what the final makeup of India’s World Cup squad should be. What else explains the sudden inclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin, whose last ODI came in January 2022, after a series in South Africa during which he bowled 20 overs for one wicket at an average of 121 runs, which remain the only ODI matches he has played since mid-2017?

If India felt the need for an offspinner, then why wasn’t Ashwin, or Washington Sundar for that matter, included in their ODI plans earlier? If any one of Rohit, Rahul Dravid or Ajit Agarkar believed that an offspinner was needed at the World Cup, given how many left-handers there are in opposition teams, then why were Ashwin and Sundar not played earlier? If Washington was good enough to play the T20Is in Ireland this month, and go to next month’s Asian Games, then surely, he could have been tried during the Asia Cup?

When announcing India’s ODI squad on Monday, Agarkar categorically stated that Ishan Kishan would bat in the middle order. How will India fit him into a middle order containing Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav? That too after Rohit has been rested for two ODIs? Does this mean that Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will captain India at the Asian Games and won’t play at the World Cup, will suddenly open with Shubman Gill?

And can you imagine the potential strain on Rahul, for whom leadership roles have never sat easily? Back after five months out of the game, having scored the best of his six ODI centuries, and saddled not only with the trickiest position in India’s batting order for the World Cup, but also the wicketkeeping duties, he has now been asked to lead India in two ODIs against Australia. It could have been avoided, with Bumrah given the role just as he was for the recent T20Is in Ireland.

Where these three matches against Australia could have and should have been India’s last chance to iron out some chinks and get some players valuable game time, they have instead further underscored their muddling thinking leading into the World Cup.

If India do not fare well at the World Cup, it will not be for lack of talent. It will be because the captain, coach and selector continue to make strange decisions.