Rain may play spoilsport during Sri Lanka game
London: Pakistan done and dusted with, India would like to keep the winning momentum going against their second Asian rivals Sri Lanka when the two sides meet here Thursday at the Oval in a Group B Champions Trophy game. A victory would guarantee India a place in the semifinal and more importantly would allow them play without any pressure in their last group game against the Proteas, June 11.
On paper, India start huge favourites. Sri Lanka appear a mismatch and if their performance from the last game is assessed it would appear that they are here just to make up numbers. To top that, they have also lost the services of Upul Tharanga (suspended for two matches) due to slow over rate of the team in their last game against South Africa. Regular captain Angelo Mathews is all set to return, though only as a batsman, but then there are still doubts about his overall fitness.
In comparison, India appear like a well-oiled machine. Except for their fielding which left a lot to be desired in the last game against Pakistan, they more or less ticked all the boxes that a successful team require. In fact, India are a team now with an abundance of riches… they can afford to leave quality bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami out of the playing XI. Both the batsmen and bowlers are in prime form and if the game against Pakistan is any indication, India have already emerged favourites to retain the title.
The only worry for India is the rain. The Met office here has predicted that there are possibilities of heavy showers and the Men in Blue would certainly like to avoid that predicament. Rain-curtailed matches always provide the weaker side with a glimmer of hope and India wouldn’t like to give Sri Lanka any.
With the top four getting half centuries in the last game and looking in sublime form, India’s batting continues to haunt opposition. The swing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the pace and bounce of Umesh Yadav aided by the death bowling of Jasprit Bumrah make it a very strong bowling unit. Ravindra Jadeja has shown in the last edition of the tournament here as well as the game against Pakistan, that even in English conditions he is hard to get away.
Since the retirement of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in 2015, the Lankans are yet to find a proper batting match-winner. Their bowling also looks pedestrian. However, one battle will be watched closely… the battle between ‘guru’ Lasith Malinga and ‘shisya’ Bumrah, both of whom play for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
The present form barometer, however clearly indicates that India and the ‘shisya’ will have the last laugh. No denying that fact
Year Winner Margin Venue
2013 India 8 wickets Cardiff
In 2002, the two sides met in the final. However, rain played spoilsport on both the days in Colombo. Both were declared joint winners
Kumble re-applies for coach’s position
Anil Kumble will once again be in the running to be the head coach of India after he formally re-applied according to reports in a cricket-specific website. His application has taken the BCCI by surprise as it had categorically said earlier that there was no need for him to apply as he is the current incumbent and he would get direct entry into the panel of shortlisted names.
Other than Kumble, the names in contention are Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Virender Sehwag, Lalchand Rajput and Dodda Ganesh. Former Aussie pace bowler Craig McDermot has also applied, but since his application arrived after the May 31 deadline, the cricket advisory committee (CAC) comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman will assess it before deciding whether to call him for the interview.
It has been learnt that the members of the CAC, who are all in England currently will meet this week itself to fix up the date for the interview. The BCCI wants a coach in place before the Champions Trophy end because India directly travel from here to the West Indies to play a limited overs series.
A month ago, Kumble would have been an automatic choice, but in the recent past there has been speculation about his rift with skipper Virat Kohli. Another report has alleged, that at least 10 members of the present team are against the re-appointment of Kumble because of his ‘bossy’ attitude and for being a ‘stickler’ for discipline.
If results under Kumble are taken into consideration then he brooks no opposition. However, both the BCCI and CAC do not want a situation where the coach and captain are poles apart.
Whoever is appointed coach will get a two-year contract as the BCCI will want the same set up to continue till the 2019 World Cup.
