SWOT analysis of the Indian ODI squad for New Zealand series

The Indian team for the ODIs was announced on Thursday. The selection meeting was the first venture of the newly appointed panel headed by MSK Prasad. There were lots of surprises sprung in the squad. While prime players like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammad Shami were rested, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul were not available due to injuries. The squad saw youngsters who have excelled in domestic tours in the recent past being named. Suresh Raina makes a comeback after almost a year in the ODI fold. Here we make an analysis of the Indian team picked for the ODI series against the Kiwis. Strengths: Manish Pandey. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Over the years, the batting lineup has been India’s principal strength. A top order comprising of batsmen with the class of a Rohit Sharma and the ever stylish Virat Kohli is always going to make life difficult for the opposition. Rohit has recently proved his mettle in the Test format and would be looking forward to establishing his authority in the format he has always excelled in. Kohli who’s been off-colour of late would be eager to display his greatness in the format he’s renowned for. Rahane is the probable choice in Dhawan’s absence to open the innings and his record as an opener is staggering. He has got both his centuries while opening the batting. Manish Pandey and Kedhar Jadhav also sound exciting prospects. While Pandey created an enigma in the Australian series earlier this year with a splendid hundred, Kedhar Jadhav was excellent last year in Zimbabwe and has scored heavily in the domestic seasons. Talking about the lower order, the Raina-Dhoni duo is probably the best finishing pair around at the moment. The duo has together compiled 9 century partnerships and 18 fifties. With Raina coming into the ODI team, he would be keen to put up a brilliant show against the Kiwis. Dhoni too would be looking to regain his finishing touch. Then there is Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel who are capable of producing some mighty hits over the park. Overall the batting has depth and shouldn’t be a concern for India from the looks of it. India are a notch above the Kiwis in this department. The fielding unit also seems fantastic with the likes of Kohli, Manish Pandey, Rohit and Rahane. Not to forget the best in this unit, Raina who has been known for pulling off some stunning catches in the past. Dhoni’s stumpings which are as quick as a cheetah add on to the strengths. Weaknesses: Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo by Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) The Indian bowlers especially the pace department has always remained an area of concern. Also with the spearhead bowlers like Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar being rested, it all falls upon Umesh Yadav to foster the inexperienced attack. Yadav has struggled to make his place permanent in the team for a long time. His lengths have been inconsistent and at times, he has leaked many runs. Jasprit Bumrah seems to be an exciting prospect but he is inexperienced and will need the backing of other bowlers to deliver. Dhawal Kulkarni has been around for a while but has failed to make a mark in the international arena. On the other hand, even Shardul Thakur hasn’t been completely exposed to international cricket. This is worrying considering the fact that the Kiwis boast of batting powerhouses likes of Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor in their lineup. The spin department seems like an empty vessel without the spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja who have been rested. In their absence, it’s Amit Mishra and Axar who are expected to spin a web around the New Zealand batsmen. We haven’t seen much of Jayant Yadav though he has impressed in the domestic arena. Hardik Pandya came in the team with lots of promises but faded by the end of the season. The selectors have again instilled their confidence upon him. Hardik would be keen to not go the ‘Stuart Binny’ way and restore the selectors faith. Opportunities: (©Getty Images) With the Champions Trophy scheduled next year and India not playing as many ODIs this season, the New Zealand series serves as the perfect opportunity for them to test the young blood and also make the bench strength stronger. With Dhawan and KL Rahul on the sidelines, Rahane and Pandey would be raring to make a statement for the team’s starting XI. There would be eyes on Kedhar Jadhav to show his fortitude after getting a chance. Mandeep Singh was noteworthy in Zimbabwe but the NZ series will be a real test for him to prove his audacity with the bat. The New Zealanders were found to be vulnerable against spin in the first game and hence, Mishra and Axar would be yearning to take complete advantage of it. They both have been around for a couple of years and will be looking to cement their spots. Jayant Yadav if he gets an opportunity can also spring in a couple of surprises. Threats: Mitchell Santner of New Zealand. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) In the World T20 2016 at home, the Indian batting order was taken apart by the likes of Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi. Also with Kohli not at his best in the Test series, this could be a worry for India as he has been the backbone of the batting lineup. Dhoni has failed to finish the game in a couple of occasions in the recent past and would be looking to cover this facet next time. He would want Raina to do that for him and stay there till the very end to take care of the scoring rate. The inexperience in the bowling against the likes of Williamson and Guptill may well concede India the series if the Kiwis come hard at them.

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SWOT analysis of the Indian ODI squad for New Zealand series

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