Preview by Ganesh Chandrasekaran
Jonny Bairstow has had middling returns in this World Cup so far, averaging only 35. He's hitting more headlines now after prompting a further lash out after initially suggesting that criticism has been too harsh against England. It might have just brought on more pressure on the team, but there's a theory that it's just Bairstow being Bairstow, looking for that extra needle to get him going. He's thrived on it in the past. And England might need it more than ever tomorrow. Not just because they are in danger of losing out on a semifinal spot but also because it could be the best way to break India's unbeaten roll.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have been outstanding in the last two games, but even when Bhuvneshwar Kumar was fit and playing, India did not concede more than 48 in a powerplay this World Cup. Their economy rate in the first ten overs of 3.72 is comfortably better than the next best (4.88 by England). It is even more significant because this is India's mojo. With a good bowling powerplay, their spinners start looking better than they already are, their fifth bowler is allowed to bowl according to Virat Kohli, and there's no deviation from their best plans. And so far in the World Cup, that applecart has rolled along smoothly, hitting no road bumps.
They could hit their first one against England, for there is no pair more explosive at the top than Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy (who is expected to return) in ODI cricket at the moment. Their scoring rate in this phase of 5.79 is comfortably better than the next (4.93). Put that up against the numbers of Shami and Bumrah, and you can see why this battle in the powerplay, could potentially be match-defining.
But those could mean little if England can't find a way to battle their pitch demons. Eoin Morgan emphasized once again on that point when asked what England have been doing wrong. "Where we've let ourselves down as a group is adapting to conditions," he said. The pitch, therefore, could be of as much interest as anything else surrounding this game. It is different to the one that New Zealand played Pakistan on, which was on the slower side. In the two games here so far, wickets have fallen more frequently in the powerplay than in any other phase.
The England thinktank must have realised the need to strike India hard in the powerplay, for Morgan admitted that they'd take the risk on Roy if there is no danger of a long-term injury. If he and Bairstow do find a way to tackle the conditions and India's bowling form, they could be making the headlines for the right reasons once again.
When: June 30, 2019, at 10:30 AM Local Time
Where: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
What to expect: The sun has been out in the days leading up, and it is expected to stay that way through the game as well.
Team News:
India: They are unlikely to change a combination that is winning.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
England: They decided to wait and see how Jason Roy and Jofra Archer pull through in their last practice session before the game to make a decision. Morgan admitted that they'd take a risk on both if there was no danger of a long-term injury. Those sessions though indicated that the latter could very well miss out, having bowled very little of his full run-up and none at all in the nets, which brings Liam Plunkett into the equation.
Probable XI: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
What they said:
"Although we haven't lost a game until now, we still can't be complacent as a side. The reason why we won all the games that we've played is because we've been very professional and precise in pressure moments. It [England's losses] is a bit surprising, but I expected something like that in the World Cup, where teams are going to be put under pressure." - Virat Kohli on his own team and England
"No, I can't fault the commitment or application that the guys have produced in every single game. Where we've let ourselves down as a group is adapting to conditions. It's been a bigger challenge in this World Cup than previous bilateral series that we've played. So tomorrow's going to be the exact same. We're going to have to adapt to conditions, adapt to playing against a strong side in India" - Eoin Morgan
Teams:
India (From): Lokesh Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli(c), Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w), Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravindra Jadeja
England (From): James Vince, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Jason Roy, Liam Plunkett, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson
