India scratch their heads for ideal bowling attack two months before World Cup 2023

India’s first match in the World Cup 2023 is less than two months away, but a lot of questions still remain unanswered. Players battling with injuries, players looking to cement their position in the team, players looking to regain lost form are some of the issues.

Putting in a strong bowling attack is something that India are still working on. Jasprit Bumrah recently recovered from injury and was picked for the three-match T20I series in Ireland. But having not played international cricket for nearly 11 months, the shape he is in is not known.

Moreover, it was also a tad bizarre after Bumrah was picked as the skipper for the series, especially because he was returning from an injury layoff. If he stays fit, it is given that he would feature in India’s bowling plans for the World Cup on Indian soil.

TROUBLE FOR SHAMI?

Bumrah played the 2019 World Cup and was the leader of the pack for the Men in Blue. Along with him, Mohammed Shami is expected to be there. Back in 2019, Shami became only the second Indian bowler after Chetan Sharma to get a hat-trick in the World Cup when he achieved the feat against Afghanistan.

Shami has not played any limited-overs cricket for India since March 2023. Even in the series against Australia five months ago, he went wicket-less in two out of three matches. While one cannot question Bumrah and Shami for their credentials, the form they are in is something that’s in doubt.

But Shami’s place is not quite fixed in the playing XI. It is because of the emergence of Mohammed Siraj, who has been a genuine wicket-taker for India. In 23 ODIs, Siraj has picked up 43 wickets at an impressive average of 24.6, the best among India’s top bowlers in ODIs.

SHARDUL, KULDEEP: AUTOMATIC CHOICES?

If numbers are looked into, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav should be automatic choices for the World Cup. Since the 2019 World Cup, Shardul and Kuldeep are the top two wicket-takers for India in ODIs. Even as Shardul picked up 52 wickets, the left-armer Kuldeep has 48 wickets.

Moreover, since Kuldeep’s debut, no bowler has picked up more wickets than the wrist spinner. In 84 matches, he has picked up 141 wickets at an average of 26.55.

Picking Shardul has an additional advantage for the fact that he is more than handy with the bat in hand. With five half-centuries at the international level, Shardul has shown that he puts a price tag on his wicket.

KULDEEP, CHAHAL TO PLAY TOGETHER?

While bowling is one of the aspects India are focussing on, batting is something they cannot afford to compromise either. In the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies, India have suffered due to their long tail. Hence, playing both Kuldeep and Chahal in the same line-up comes with the risk of playing less batting options.

If India have to pick one between Kuldeep and Chahal, unfortunately, the latter might turn out to be the unlucky one. In sub-continent conditions, India are likely to play two spinners. One may assume that Ravindra Jadeja would be one of them. Since the 2019 World Cup, Kuldeep and Chahal have played only three ODIs together, which further solidifies India's plans for the World Cup.

Again like Shardul, Jadeja brings batting prowess into the line-up, adding to its depth. With Hardik Pandya also in the team, India will have three options that can contribute with both bat and ball.

India’s ideal bowling options for the World Cup 2023

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shardul Thakur