ENG vs IND: India’s predicted playing XI for 3rd ODI

The ongoing ODI series between England and India is tied at 1-1, and the decider will be played on July 17, Sunday, at Old Trafford, Manchester. Both teams won their respective matches in a dominant manner and the third game is set up for a thrilling contest.

India won the first game by 10 wickets at The Oval after a strong bowling display by the Indian pacers. Jasprit Bumrah led the pack, picking up six wickets, and Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Shami picked up one and three wickets respectively as England were dismissed for only 110.

In the second ODI, England amassed a total of 246 courtesy of late contributions from Moeen Ali and David Willey. The Indian chase never really took off as they surrendered to English pacer Reece Topley, who went on to bag six wickets, as India were bowled out for only 146 runs.

Here is India’s predicted playing XI for the third ODI against England:

1. Rohit Sharma

It is a given that Rohit Sharma, the India captain, gets a place in the team unless he is injured. He is expected to lead the Indian team yet again for the third ODI.

Rohit had an impressive game at The Oval, scoring an unbeaten 76 runs off 58 balls. However, it was followed by a ten-ball duck in the second game. He has also had a decent record in the format in 2022 so far, scoring 154 runs in five innings at an average of 38.50 and a strike rate of 108.45.

Most of Rohit’s away ODI runs have come in England, with 1,411 runs in 26 ODIs at an average of 67.19 with seven centuries and as many half-centuries. India will need his contribution again, at the top, for the series decider.

2. Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan opened the batting along with Rohit in the first two ODIs and is expected to start again at Old Trafford. He scored an unbeaten 31 at The Oval and nine at Lord’s. His pairing with Rohit also makes a perfect left-hand-right-hand combination up at the top.

Dhawan, like Rohit, has scored most of his away runs in England, with 1,141 runs in 21 ODIs at an average of 63.38 with four centuries and as many half centuries and a top score of 125. He has played six ODIs in 2022, and scored 219 runs at an average of 43.80.

Given his impressive record on English soil and decent form with the bat in 2022, he should be in the playing XI again. Also, considering that there is no other proper opener waiting from the bench for India, Dhawan must start despite his failure in the second ODI.

3. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli’s place in the team has been one of the biggest talking points in Indian cricket, as the former India captain is going through one of his worst phases with the bat on the international stage. He has also been having one of his worst tours with the bat across formats in England.

Kohli was absent for the first ODI due to a groin injury, but came back for the second. He scored 16 off 25 balls before he got out to a delivery that was moving away from him. However, Kohli is still India’s highest-ranked ODI batter, standing third in the ICC ODI Batting Rankings. It is only a matter of time before he scores some runs again, and a series decider in England would be a great occasion to do that.

4. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav is one of the best white-ball batters in India at the moment. He was also one of the batters in the T20I series of the England tour, with 171 runs in three innings, including a century and and a strike rate of 201.17.

Yadav is a natural timer and reader of the ball, and has the reputation for being innovative with the bat. He has a range of shots all around the ground, something that he has shown time and again in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Yadav did not get to bat in the first ODI, and scored 27 at Lord’s in the second. Since his debut in July 2021, he has played in nine matches and scored 294 runs at an average of 49.00 and a strike rate of 102.08. There is also a possibility of him being pushed to number four for this match.

5. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has been India’s first choice wicketkeeper-batter across formats for some time and is expected to take the keeping gloves at Old Trafford for India. He batted number four at Lord’s and might come in at number five for the third ODI.

Pant got out for a five-ball duck in the second ODI and did not get to bat in the first match. This year, the 24-year-old has struggled with the bat in this format, scoring only 186 runs in seven innings at an average of 26.57.

With Pant’s natural tendency to play an aggressive brand of cricket, he could be more suited coming in at number five and have the license to attack and take on the bowlers. On a challenging Old Trafford wicket, a counter-attacking innings from the Indian wicketkeeper could be crucial.

6. Hardik Pandya

A fast bowling all-rounder in English conditions is a must, and it is Hardik Pandya for India. He is an important player for India in every department and provides stability and balance in the middle with both bat and ball.

In the first ODI, Hardik bowled four overs and conceded 22 runs, without picking up a wicket. In the second ODI, he was the joint-top scorer for India with the bat with 29 runs, and also picked up two wickets for 28 runs in six overs.

Hardik bowling regularly is a big plus for India, and he has been bowling with a lot of discipline and skill in the ongoing England tour across formats. He might be handed more overs in the coming match. As far as batting is concerned, like Pant, he would be expected to chip in with some crucial runs at the backend of the innings.

7. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja is yet another player who has had a good run on tour and is one of the first names on the team sheet at the moment. Jadeja’s ability to bat in overseas conditions and bowl wicket-to-wicket to contain batters in shorter formats has made him a guaranteed starter in English conditions.

Jadeja has scored 209 runs at an average of 52.25 on tour, and also was the joint-top scorer in the second ODI with 29 runs. He bowled five overs at Lord’s and conceded only 17 runs.

Jadeja might be relied upon to bowl odd overs and break partnerships in the third ODI. Also, the all-rounder has vast experience bowling on English surfaces and was also the winner of the Golden Ball of the Champions Trophy in 2013, which was held in England.

8. Prasidh Krishna

Prasidh Krishna is one of the emerging fast bowling talents from India. He can bowl with a good pace, consistently clocking around 140 kmph, and can also seam the ball either way. He played in the first two ODIs and might get the nod yet again in Manchester.

Krishna bowled eight overs and conceded 53 runs for one wicket at Lord’s in five overs, while he conceded 26 for one wicket at The Oval. His only concern over these two matches was the lack of consistency and discipline.

While he has troubled the batters at times, conceding too many boundaries has been his main issue. Krishna has been hit for ten fours and two sixes during the 13 overs he has bowled so far. His consistency with his deliveries and the economy rate are things he might look at going into the third ODI.

9. Mohammed Shami

Mohammed Shami is one of India’s new ball bowlers in the series and the most experienced pacer of the pack. He has been bowling with good swing and pace, and has picked up some key wickets early on in the innings.

Shami picked up three wickets, conceding 31 runs in seven overs at The Oval, and picked up one wicket for 48 runs  at Lord’s. He got the all-important wicket of the England skipper, Jos Buttler in both the matches.

In the last eight matches, Shami has bagged 16 wickets with the best of4/63. With 152 wickets in 80 innings in ODIs at an average of 25.47 and a strike rate of 27.2, he has been one of India’s best bowlers over the last few years.

10. Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah is arguably the best bowler in the world across formats right now and is the leading wicket-taker of the series so far. He has picked up eight wickets at an average of 8.50 and a strike rate of 13.0, with an economy rate of 3.92.

Bumrah was the Player of the Match in the first ODI for his supreme performance with the ball, finishing with six wickets for 19 runs in 7.2 overs, which are also his best figures in international cricket and the third-best in ODIs by an Indian.

Bumrah is on a great run with the ball in 2022, picking up 13 wickets in five ODIs with an economy of 4.33. He currently stands at  No. 1 in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings and is the only Indian in the top ten of the list.

11. Yuzvendra Chahal

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal takes the spot of the specialist spinner in the playing XI for India, as he did in the first two ODIs. He has picked up four wickets in the two games and stands third in the list of highest wicket-takers for the series.

Chahal only bowled two overs in the first match and conceded 10 runs. In the second ODI, he was the pick of the Indian bowlers, scalping four wickets for 47 runs. In 2022, he has picked up 11 wickets in seven ODIs at an average of 27.09 and an economy rate of 4.89, with two four-wicket hauls.

Chahal had a successful IPL 2022, where he was the leading wicket-taker, and a few good bilateral series to follow in the last month and half. Former England spinner Graeme Swann called him the best spinner in the world at the moment.