The Virat Kohli-led Indian team will eye a clean-sweep when they take on England in the final ODI of the three-match series.
The ODI will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata – a venue where the Indian team has an impressive record; they have an 11-7 win-loss record at the venue. The England team will be aware of their dismal record on previous visits to the venue; they have played three ODIs at the venue and have ended second-best on each of those visits.
Though England have lost both the ODIs in the series, they will take heart knowing that there very little separated the two teams.
In the first fixture in Pune, India chased down 350 and crossed the finish line with three wickets in hand, while in Cuttack the margin that separated the two teams was 15 runs. In Kolkata, Eoin Morgan’s side will hope to improve on the one percenters that has been the difference between the two teams and get their first win in an international match on this tour of India.
The two ODIs in this series have seen an aggregate of 1453 runs, and if the most-recent ODI at Kolkata is any evidence, we can expect a tall-scoring tie once again. In the most-recent ODI played at the Eden Gardens, India – powered by Rohit Sharma’s 264 – scored a mammoth 404-5 and then notched up a 153-run win. It has been observed in recent ODIs at the Kolkata that teams batting first fare better than teams chasing under lights and hence it is expected that the captain winning the toss will opt to bat first.
In both the ODIs played, England have had India on the mat – 63 for 4 at Pune and 25 for 3 at Cuttack – but have allowed them to wriggle out of the corner. While some of the decision making has to be questioned, one has to also point fingers at the performance of the England bowlers.
The quick bowlers – particularly the change bowlers – have struggled to sustain the pressure despite the early strikes, while the English spinners have caused no damage at all, while also leaking runs.
Where Team India are concerned, the one area of concern that is staring them in the face is that of the opening partnership.
In recent times, Team India has struggled for a platform from the opening pair. It has not helped that India have changed their opening pair frequently in recent matches; in the last 10 ODIs, Team India has employed four different opening pairs, yet have realised only two partnerships of fifty and more.
Soon after Team India landed in Kolkata, reports emerged of the opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan visiting a doctor. It remains to be seen if the left-hander, who is under pressure to hold his place in the side, is fit to make the XI, and if he can justify his inclusion in the side.
The Kolkata ODI is scheduled to begin at 1330Hrs IST.
You can follow updates from the match on The Quint’s live blog.
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