Even as its World Cup preparations move into the final leg, India is yet to sort out selection issues. Axar Patel’s fitness and his eventual inclusion in the squad remain the talking points.
The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder was injured during India’s game against Bangladesh during the Asia Cup, and has been recuperating at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The announcement of the squad deadline is fast approaching, and the selection committee is yet to take the final call.
Time and again, patience has been demanded, and faith has been reposed that Axar will make it back in time.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s ODI career was handed a second life when he was drafted into the side for the Australia series. But his exclusion from the starting line-up on Wednesday, for the third and final match might be the final seal on Axar’s spot.
“We will have to wait for an official confirmation. The NCA is in touch with the selectors. As of now, there are no changes,” said head coach Rahul Dravid after the third ODI against Australia on Wednesday.
Axar was not the only missing player. India was forced into multiple changes for the third match in Rajkot with players suffering from a viral infection. Ishan Kishan’s absence, for the same reason, was announced hours before the start in Rajkot.
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Dravid, however, expects the first-string side rearing to go for the warm-up games.
“We have had a few issues with a virus going around. That was a bit tough. It was a balancing act. Some had to go home. There was an Asian Games team leaving so a couple had to go there. We have about a week. I am expecting everyone to be there at Guwahati. We leave tomorrow, and by the 29th we should be at full strength,” said Dravid.
Despite the loss to Australia on Wednesday, the coach was convinced the series served its purpose for India, helping its players returning from injuries to hit the ground running before the side’s World Cup opener on October 8.
“For people like (Jasprit) Bumrah, KL (Rahul), (Shreyas) Iyer, game time was important. They have been able to get that against a highly competitive time. The warm-up games are usually 15 versus 15 and it is tough to get that level of intensity,” he said.
India’s streak in the lead to the quadrennial event, ballooned by its triumphs in the Asia Cup and the Australia series, was burst on Wednesday with a 66-run defeat.
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Dravid, however, took a long-sighted approach and took home the positives. “The good thing from our perspective is that both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli batted well. They were coming on the back of not playing cricket for a week. They came back in and got runs straight away.
“There are always areas you want to improve on. We have ticked a lot of boxes. There are little things you can get right. The World Cup is a long tournament and it is important to keep improving, even when the results are going your way,” he said.
India faces England in Guwahati on September 30 and the Netherlands on October 3 in Thiruvananthapuram in the World Cup warm-up matches before its opener on October 8 against Australia.
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