The recent Asia Cup victory has left India’s cricket team brimming with confidence as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup. Despite a loss to Bangladesh, the tournament served as a valuable rehearsal for the World Cup. India’s performance highlighted several key strengths and promising developments, suggesting that they are well-prepared for the global competition.
One of the most significant takeaways from the Asia Cup was the impressive form of India’s openers, who performed well in various partnerships. Additionally, the emergence of Kuldeep Yadav as a formidable force in the middle overs, the consistent contributions of Hardik Pandya with both bat and ball, and the exceptional performances of Mohammed Siraj have bolstered India’s prospects.
KL Rahul’s confident return, marked by a century in the Super Four victory over Pakistan, has addressed some of India’s middle-order concerns. However, Shreyas Iyer, another specialist batter, has not had much game time due to a back spasm during the Pakistan match. Despite his limited participation, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, remains optimistic about Iyer’s fitness, stating that he believes the player is on track to recovery.
Regarding Iyer’s absence, Sharma commented, “Shreyas was not available for this game because there were certain parameters that were kept for him to tick off. Today, he completed most of it. I would say 99% he should be okay as of now, but he looks good.”
However, it appears that Axar Patel, who missed the final due to a left quadricep strain sustained during the Bangladesh match, may be unavailable for the upcoming home series against Australia. Patel was replaced by Washington Sundar in the Asia Cup final.
Sharma expressed uncertainty about Patel’s availability for the first two games against Australia, stating, “Axar—I’m not sure, he had a small tear. We just have to wait and see how the injury progresses. Every individual is different; some guys recover quickly.”
Washington Sundar’s inclusion raises questions about the role of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the squad. Sharma clarified that both Washington and Ashwin are in line for selection, emphasizing their ability to contribute with both bat and ball. He highlighted the importance of having all-rounders in the team.
While India’s batting may require some fine-tuning, their bowling unit appears more settled, with Kuldeep Yadav’s impressive performance in the middle overs standing out. Yadav’s Player-of-the-Series award reflects his ability to balance attack and containment during critical phases of the game.
Yadav expressed his satisfaction with his bowling, saying, “The last year and a half has been amazing, I’m enjoying my bowling. In ODIs, you can vary your length and try a lot more different things.”
India’s fast bowling department has also been a source of pride, with the return of Jasprit Bumrah from injury and stellar performances from Pandya and Shardul Thakur. However, it was Mohammed Siraj’s remarkable haul of 6/21 that solidified India’s fast bowling resurgence.
Sharma praised the variety within the fast bowling unit, stating, “All of them have different skill sets and variations—one can bowl quick, one can swing the ball, one can get good bounce. When you get all of these aspects in one team, it is a feel-good factor.”
Additionally, Sharma commended India’s sharp fielding, particularly in the slip cordon, and emphasized the importance of consistent performances.
With only an ODI series against Australia remaining before the World Cup, Sharma believes that the Asia Cup victory has provided the ideal preparation for the global tournament.
“It gives us a lot of confidence to come here and win a tournament like this,” he said. “We can take a lot of positives from the tournament, not just for one or two players but for the entire squad. They did their job.”
As India looks forward to the World Cup, they do so with renewed confidence and a strengthened squad ready to take on the world’s best.