Responsibility on wrist spinners in absence of first choice pacers, believes VVS Laxman

The in-form Indian team will hope to stretch their winning run in England in the first match of the ODI series at Trent Bridge on Thursday. India have already won the T20I series against the hosts without their primary pace battery, Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah. In the absence of the first choice pacers, Chahal, along with Hardik Pandya, ensured that India restricted the hosts to a score of just 198/9 having conceded 73 runs in the powerplay. With the pacers still unavailable for the first match of the ODI series, Laxman believes that the onus is on the wrist spinning duo to deliver. 

“The Indian team displayed brilliance and showed true character by defeating England in the final match of the T20 series. It was India’s eighth victory in a three-match T20 series, boosting up the confidence of the unit especially in crunch games,” Laxman mentioned in his column for TOI. 

“England got off to a great start against a relatively inexperienced Indian bowling attack with Bhuvneshwar Kumar out of the playing eleven due to back spasms. Not seeing Kuldeep’s name in the eleven was unexpected considering his match-winning performance in Manchester, but I am certain that our wrist spinners will play a major part in the ODI series. England looked on-course to a 220 plus total after reaching 100 in the 10th over, but the Indian’s came back strongly.”

Even though India secured the T20I series quite easily, Laxman has asserted that the English will want to level things up in the ODIs. England, who recently whitewashed Australia at home, are the top ranked team and have not lost an ODI series, to a major team, at home since 2015. Laxman explained that the hosts would have also received a lift with India missing their premier pacers for the start of the 50-over series. 

“The 50-over contest is up next and I expect it to be highly competitive. This English side is currently the strongest in the world and they will feel more confident considering Bumrah’s absence and Bhuvi’s fitness. India’s batting looks perfectly fine and they have the experience needed,” Laxman concluded.