India and England are set to clash at Guwahati’s ACA Barsapara stadium in World Cup warm-up match.
Team India will kickstart its home World Cup campaign with a warm-up match up-first against a tricky opponent in Jos Buttler’s England. The defending champions, England arrived in Guwahati on Thursday following over a 38-hour travel, while India landed in the city a day prior, immediately following the series win against Australia. The warm-up games at the World Cup are a valuable opportunity to evaluate player performance and test strategies but the team management will aim at keeping its card close against a formidable English team.
England’s cricketing philosophy underwent significant changes in recent years, with their batting lineup now including formidable players like Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, and Moeen Ali. Facing this lineup is a daunting task for any bowling attack, making it an ideal opportunity for India’s bowlers to challenge themselves. Players like Kuldeep Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja will take turns to bowl and assess their form.
One of England’s biggest strengths is their batting depth, and while the spinners undoubtedly play a crucial role in Indian conditions, the Indian team management would also expect their pace-bowling attack to turn up the heat in Guwahati. Yes, it remains to be seen whether India will field a first-choice pace attack featuring Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, or rely on their bench strength for the opening warm-up game. Given India’s next match is against Netherlands, it is likely India would aim at testing their best men in today’s match with the defending champions.
On the batting front, the ongoing debate between Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan for a place in the middle-order adds an interesting dimension to India’s team composition. While Iyer has a commendable record in ODIs, Ishan’s recent performances and versatility make him a strong contender for selection. As a left-hander who aggressively takes on bowlers, Ishan offers a different dynamic to the lineup. As KL Rahul is likely to fulfill the dual roles of wicketkeeping and batting at No. 5 in most matches, Ishan Kishan’s main competition for a spot in the XI remains Shreyas Iyer. Iyer recently displayed his batting prowess with a century against Australia in Indore, reinforcing his credentials for selection.
