India vs Zimbabwe: A different problem of plenty for the visitors – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill hardly broke a sweat while going about business during the run chase on Thursday. Their opening partnership was perhaps the best indicator of the vast gulf between India and Zimbabwe, the two teams that are currently battling it out in a three-match ODI series.

Sure, the Indian bowlers too did their part in keeping the Zimbabwean batters quiet, especially comeback man Deepak Chahar who returned to action after more than six months and yet showed no signs of rust in his Player of the Match-winning 3/27.

Also Read: Five talking points after India demolish Zimbabwe in 1st ODI

However, the hosts did show signs of fight during their innings after being invited to bat by visiting captain KL Rahul. It was especially evident during the ninth-wicket stand between Richard Ngarava (34) and Brad Evans (33 not out) worth 70, a partnership that gave their bowlers a fighting chance of pulling off an almighty upset by getting them within touching distance of 200, when the prospect of crossing 150 looked tricky at one point.

And yet the left-right combination of Dhawan and Gill ended up nearly making a mockery of the target, cantering to the finish line with all ten wickets intact and nearly 20 overs remaining, reminiscent of a similar dominant opening partnership by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly against Alastair Campbell’s Zimbabweans 14 years back.

Who bats where?

The Dhawan-Gill stand, however, also does raise some questions regarding the rest of the batting order and what India’s approach will be for the remainder of what indeed is a very short tour.

Also Read: ‘Enjoying batting with Shubman Gill, I feel like youngster too, says Shikhar Dhawan 

This is, after all, a tour in which India will be hoping to try various options out across the batting order. And for that to happen, the other batters need to get a hit in the remaining games which take place on Saturday and Monday. As much as they would like to add another series victory on Zimbabwean soil, the tour also presents the Indian team think tank an opportunity to try out players who couldn’t confirm their trip to the UAE for the Asia Cup, keeping the road ahead in mind.

Having got the series off to an ideal start, maybe skipper Rahul would want to shake things up a little bit by opting to bat in the next game, should he win the toss of course, which would then open up the possibility of the Ishan Kishans, the Sanju Samsons and the Deepak Hoodas getting some much-needed time at the crease.

Rahul in the middle order

The Indian squad is replete with openers; skipper Rahul has cemented himself as one in Tests as well as in T20Is, and is much more versatile a player in the one-dayers — while most of runs his runs have come as an opener (884) in the 50-over format, his average actually improves when looking at his performances at the No 5 position, going past the 50-mark (56.62), along with a much-better strike rate.

Rahul had set himself at two-down in the series opener, even though his services ultimately weren’t required. Maybe he goes one step further down and send either a Samson or a Hooda above him.

Ishan at 3?

Which also brings us to the question of Ishan Kishan, a tried-and-tested opener whose form has taken a hit of late since a successful run against South Africa at home in a five-T20I series. Even though the odds were stacked against Kishan as far as his chances of getting picked in the series opener were concerned, the Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter would’ve been gutted to not have got a chance to swing his arms at the centre, especially at a time when he needs to make every opportunity count if he is to make it to Australia for the T20 World Cup later this year.

Also Read: Gill–Dhawan stand, India’s record winning streak and other stats from 1st ODI

Which is why he’ll be hoping the team management retains him at the No 3 spot going forward, given they’re unlikely to tinker with the well-set opening pair in the remaining games. Coming in at one-down would give Kishan all the time to calm his nerves down, assess the wicket and settle himself, which would be ideal for him to forge that comeback knock that he so desperately needs.

And Kishan may not have made too many 50-over appearances in the blue jersey, but isn’t exactly unfamiliar with the No 3 position; he had after all struck a lively 59 off 42 on ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Colombo last year.

The focus for the visitors, however, will firmly remain on clinching the series come Saturday and if their performance in the opener was anything to go by, the Zimbabweans will have to play out of their skin if they hope to pose a challenge and keep their series hopes alive.

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