ind vs eng - India vs. England: ODI Battle Begins Today

A comparative analysis of the Indian and England team on the eve of the commencement of the 7-ODI series in India. England won and lost a practice match each and the loss is substantial in terms of its implications. The bowling looks weak and the batting looks weaker. Andrew Flintoff is back and will be expected to perform. England team is riddled with several injuries while India is riding high on its recent success on Australia.

The seven-match series between India and England is starting todayand the visitors look shaky before they enter the first match to be held in Rajkot. England, already reeling under the burden of injured players and a lost Stanford series were crushed mercilessly by the Mumbai Cricket Association XI by 124 runs in the second warm-up match before the ODI series. Prior to this, England beat Mumbai by 122 runs in another practice match.

Andrew Flintoff has made his comeback with this series and appears charged up with the feisty ton in the first match. However, England has sound reasons to panic after the second practice match. Eight of their batsmen failed to reach double figures as the entire team got out for 98 chasing 222 for victory. The England bowlers failed to bowl out the opposition in both the matches. Although the defeat by a local team is demoralizing by any standards, England captain Kevin Pietersen tags it a “blessing in disguise.” The coming few weeks will tell what Pietersen implied when he made this remark after a humiliating loss. Agreed, practice matches are not indicative of the upcoming series but England better take stock of the situation before it goes out of hand.

Stuart Broad, famously known for being the victim of Yuvraj’s six-sixes-in-an-over manic attack, although now fit again, suffered a shoulder injury during the match. Ryan Sidebottom is out of the first match because of injuries leaving England to suffice with only two perfectly fit fast bowlers. England recently lost the highly anticipated Stanford Series which promised each player a million and although they claim the series was more fun than cricket, the defeat combined with the dismal performance in practice matches will surely bring the morale down.

India, on the other hand very high on morale quotient after defeating world champs Australia earlier this week. Tests and ODI are two formats but the acceleration gathered from the test series victory will work wonders for the hosts. However, they have concerns about out-of-form Rahul Dravid and Ishant Sharma who has been ruled out of the first match because of injury.

Australia made tall claims about ripping apart the Indian batting line-up with their pace before they started with the games and are rolling their tongue into throats now. England, although armed with several bowlers who can do the damage should watch out for some disheartening thrashing from the Indian batsmen.

Source: cricket360.com