Two to tango: Gill and Rohit have set it up for India during its run chases.  Photo K.R Deepak/The Hindu
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

The essence of an emerging contest is often sensed during the opening act in ODIs. Remember Sachin Tendulkar’s upper-cut six off Shoaib Akhtar in a 2003 World Cup game at Centurion in South Africa? It set the tone for India’s successful chase and it was the bullet that set fire to the African skies. After two decades, that shot continues to have immense recall value.

Cricketing tradition, even in ODIs, often expected openers to wear down fast bowlers before the middle-order stars swaggered in. But that dour garb atop the batting tree was then slightly altered. Teams mixed it up with one classic player walking out alongside an aggressive partner. Closer home, we had Sunil Gavaskar and K. Srikkanth.

Later, it became Ravi Shastri and Srikkanth. Even with the West Indies, Desmond Haynes was more ice to Gordon Greenidge’s raging fire. The late Martin Crowe then unleashed the pinch-hitter with Mark Greatbatch being the battering ram up the order for co-host New Zealand during the 1992 World Cup.

In the 1996 edition hosted in the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka did a ‘buy one get one free’ offer as two aggressive willow-wielders — Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana — caused havoc. This double-trouble template was also reflected through Indian pairs such as Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly or later Tendulkar-Virender Sehwag.

Cut to the latest World Cup, India has been served well by its openers except during that shock two for three phase against Australia at Chennai on Oct. 8. Skipper Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan or Rohit with Shubman Gill have plundered runs, especially during the compulsory first 10-over PowerPlay stage with field restrictions.

Against Afghanistan in Delhi, Rohit, and Kishan shared 156 runs. In the big fight involving Pakistan at Ahmedabad, even though Gill fell early, by then India had struck 23 runs in a mere 2.5 overs. When the action shifted to Pune, Rohit and Gill shared an alliance worth 88. Later, once the Himalayas were scaled, the duo added 71 against New Zealand at Dharamshala. In all these key bonding exercises, Rohit was the constant star.

If Kishan was all about left-handed aggression, the aesthetics were often the sole preserve of the right-handers — Rohit and Gill. Usually in cricket, it is the other way round where left always got it right when it came to tapping our artistic biases. An elegant left-hander was an expected norm even if for every David Gower poem, there was a counter through Allan Border’s hard prose.

Killing them softly could be the joint theme of the Rohit-Gill combine and their fiery tango has drilled holes through the opposition’s field settings besides scraping the skies. These partnerships have been crucial as India mounted excellent chases all through this premier championship and also laid the foundation for Virat Kohli to build his strong edifices. As the Men in Blue prepare for their Sunday’s clash against England at Lucknow, the Rohit-Gill chemistry will continue to be the first hurdle that rival skippers will always be wary about.

Time running out: Babar and Co. will have to regroup quickly as they approach the must-win territory.
| Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

While the on-field rivalry between Pakistan and Afghanistan is still in its infancy, crowd disturbances, edge-of-the-seat finishes, and scuffles between players have already lent it the kind of rhetoric that perhaps better describes events in a bullring than in a cricket stadium. The ICC 2023 World Cup match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday is a good chance to see if the on-field action has retained a similar needle.

Afghanistan’s spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi can pose a challenge to Pakistan’s unstable middle order if it find its rhythm.

The way skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi deploys Rashid will also influence the result. In a match against India, Rashid came in when India was 125-0 in 14 overs, which seemed an odd decision. However, against England, he entered the game when the Three Lions were 82 for three off 16 overs, precisely where he excels.

Rashid’s pace is quick for a spinner, and on a slightly two-paced Chepauk surface, he will target the stumps and look for LBWs. While the Pakistani top-order batters have an affinity for the sweep, they should consider hitting down the ground against Rashid. This match will be played on the same pitch that was used for India’s match against Australia.

Against New Zealand, Afghanistan’s innings took a downturn when the middle order came in — the last seven wickets fell for just 42 runs. Afghanistan needs to shore up its sometimes rash, often lax middle-order.

Afghanistan’s coach, Jonathan Trott, had also expressed concerns about fielding as his team missed six chances in its loss to New Zealand. Unless it improves in this aspect, Pakistan could capitalise on its mistakes.

Meanwhile, there are headaches aplenty for Pakistan. Its pace attack tends to drift if Shaheen Afridi does not get early wickets. Babar Azam’s form and continuing struggles with spin don’t allay concerns either.

In this scenario, it will be intriguing to see whether the team with superior skills or the one with better control of emotions wins.

England’s Ben Stokes during practice.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Ben Stokes declared himself ready Thursday to play in England’s crucial Cricket World Cup match against South Africa after missing the first three games because of injury.

Stokes, the match-winner in the 2019 final, has been struggling with a hip problem sustained a week before the World Cup and missed the losses to New Zealand and Afghanistan, which came either side of a win over Bangladesh.

England next faces the Proteas on Saturday with its title defense on the rocks.

“It was a frustrating little niggle to get before the tournament,” the test captain told the BBC before a training session at the Wankhede Stadium, “but I have worked very hard to get back to where I am and I am making myself ready to be available for selection.

“We have had a few days off since the last game and the first training session here in Mumbai. I’ll give it a good push but, yes, I think everything is pretty good. I am in a good place.”

England will hope Stokes’ return will resuscitate the team’s chances in India and he is relishing the pressure.

“I deal with it pretty easy to be honest, because I know I am one person in a team sport,” he said. “No one looks to one person in this team to inspire them or anything like that. It is not the case that if I do come in then all of a sudden we are going to do well.

“It is just one of those things that gets spoken about a lot but I don’t read into too much. Everyone that walks out on to that field for England is a match-winner and can do something individually that can win us a game. We just need to tone it down a bit on me coming back in.”

Stokes will only be a batter at this World Cup as he manages his workload after the Ashes.

Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews and pacer Dushmantha Chameera will join Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad in Lucknow on Friday as travelling reserves, country’s cricket board announced on Thursday.

Both Mathews and Chameera last played in an ODI series against Afghanistan in June.

The 36-year-old Mathews is a veteran of 221 games with close to 6000 runs and 120 wickets under his belt. Of late, he has not bowled much and plays as a specialist batter only.

Right-arm pacer Chameera, 31, has played 44 ODIs taking 50 wickets. “Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that Angelo Mathews and Dushmantha Chameera will join the team in India as traveling reserves,” SLC posted on X.

“The Sri Lanka Cricket Selectors took this decision in order to ensure that the team has ready replacements in place to face contingencies, such as an injury to an existing squad member. Accordingly @Angelo69Mathews and @dushmantha05 will join the team tomorrow,” the board announced.

Sri Lanka next play is the Netherlands on October 21 in Lucknow.

India’s Virat Kohli and KL Rahul celebrate with captain Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan after the winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Bangladesh, at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Pune, Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI

India’s pursuit of happiness continued unhindered in the World Cup. A fourth successful chase, this time against Bangladesh, ushered in a seven-wicket victory at the MCA Stadium here on Thursday night. Trailing Bangladesh’s 256 for eight, India finished at 261 for three in 41.3 overs, with Virat Kohli’s masterly hundred (103 n.o., 97b, 6×4, 4×6) playing the guiding light.

Initially, the Men in Blue galloped at full tilt with their aesthetic opening pair bruising the Bangladesh attack. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill found their appetisers through pleasing fours off Shoriful Islam and Mustafizur Rahman.

India vs Bangladesh | As it happened

The sixes were on view too as Rohit pulled Shoriful. When Nasum Ahmed came in early, punches, drives and slog sweeps were essayed. Gill hoisted the spinner into the stands and in a Mustafizur over, drove on either side with finesse. However, Rohit (48), after striking a six off Hasan Mahmud, attempted an encore and succumbed.

This particular over was a mixed bag for Mahmud as his no-balls and free-hits found Kohli hungrily tucking in as overall 23 runs were plundered. Kohli and Gill maintained the tempo but the latter, after going past 50, found a sprinting fielder near the ropes. India was 132 for two in 19.2 overs, but well established in the driver’s seat with Kohli playing the anchor.

A partnership ensued with Shreyas Iyer. Singles were stolen and a defensive bat was offered too as the middle overs turned slow. It was essential that the batters stayed watchful as tumbling wickets could force an injured Hardik Pandya to step out to bat. And yet, Shreyas attempted an ambitious shot and perished.

K.L. Rahul then linked up with a patient Kohli and the two buckled down. An uppish cut for four against the spin may have got Rahul initial runs but he was quick to recalibrate and play straight. He did play a few rousing shots before Kohli cantered towards his ton and took India past the winning tape.

In the afternoon, fans reached the venue through narrow country roads. Out in the middle, Bangladesh’s injured skipper Shakib Al Hasan was ruled out and stand-in captain Najmul Hossain won the toss and elected to bat. On a flat track, openers Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan started sedately before shifting gears.

Southpaw Tanzid was the aggressor, picking on Mohammed Siraj and even hooking a six off Jasprit Bumrah. Hardik was pressed into service but, after bowling three deliveries, the all-rounder hobbled out following a left-ankle injury.

Meanwhile Tanzid tore into Shardul Thakur but, in trying to sweep spinner Kuldeep Yadav, the batter (51) got trapped. India effected a second breach as Ravindra Jadeja rapped Najmul’s pads and India initiated the middle-overs strangle. Mehidy Hasan feathered Siraj down the leg-side and a diving Rahul plucked a splendid diving left-handed catch. Soon Das holed out to Jadeja, Mushfiqur Rahim tried to seal the cracks and Mahmudullah used the long handle.

Still, India largely kept it tight with the highlight being Jadeja’s acrobatic catch to pause Mushfiqur’s innings. From being 90 for no loss at one stage, Bangladesh lost its way and never recovered.