Experimentation done: Gill keen on quick switch to first-choice World Cup combinations

India captain Shubman Gill backed Anshul Kamboj and Auqib Nabi despite difficult debuts but insisted that the window to experiment is over, and they want to start playing with their first-choice World Cup players right away.

Challenged by West Indies’ batters across all three games, India managed to outmuscle them with their experience but struggled with their bowling, conceding 1052 runs across the three games. It culminated with West Indies chasing down 352 under lights, led by Shai Hope’s 162*.

‘Nabi, Kamboj would have liked to do much better’

Speaking after the game, Gill said both Powerplay and death bowling has hurt them. Specifically on the outings of Nabi and Kamboj, Gill said, “they would have liked to have done a much better job”.

India chose this series as an experimentation ground: every bowling option available in the squad was tried, including replacement Anshul Kamboj, flown in from the ‘A’ game in Puducherry to directly debut in the dead rubber. Kamboj opened the bowling alongside Mohammed Siraj, ending with 0-82 in nine overs. He particularly lost his way at the death, conceding 22 in the penultimate over, failing to bowl to the field.

In the previous game, Auqib Nabi was at the other end of the spectrum, conceding 35 in three overs in the Powerplay, and finishing with 0-84. Gill did sympathise with them, given their maiden gigs came in a high-scoring series.

“But it’s a little bit harsh on them. It’s not easy to come and be able to deliver straight away,” Gill said. “In international cricket, sometimes you require a bit of time. Very few players just come in and start delivering for the team. And I hope that they learn from their mistakes, from the opportunities that they get”.

‘We want to start playing with our World Cup combination’

Gill, however, said that going forward, they would like to play lineups as close to their World Cup combinations as possible.

“I honestly don’t think there is that much time to experiment”.

“The combination that we want to play, hopefully we get all the players that are available from the next series and the combination that we would like to play in the World Cup, we want to start playing with that combination”.

It signified a quick push from the captain to get out of the experimentative state, and feature their first-choice players, calling it “unfortunate” that with injuries and other scheduled matches (the Asian Games in this instance), the team has not been able to “play the bowling lineup that we would like to”.

Gill admitted that “who gets injured or who gets selected isn’t in our hands”, but the series did present a chance for the second-string players to showcase themselves, “players who might not have been in the team had the full-strength bowling line-up in there”.

India have been hit by injuries to Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana, for whom the team has been sourcing replacements. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been seen as a direct swap for Pandya, but couldn’t make much bowling impact, conceding at 9 in the first game, and 7.3 in the second. He picked up only one wicket across 11.5 overs.

With Rana injured, India has also been looking at a bowling all-rounder at No.8. Prasidh Krishna’s injury in the second ODI so happened to give them a chance to try out two players who fit that role.

“Anshul and Auqib are the kind of players who are going to be in the mix a lot. (With Prasidh injured) we had an opportunity to experiment with another player with the series being in the bag. So, we wanted to take that opportunity. And Anshul is someone who can also bat at number 8. And that number is very crucial for us”.

Gill viewed it as an opportunity to keep backups ready in case injuries hit the team closer to the tournament.

“We don’t know who will be fit at the World Cup,” Gill said. “And if we want someone who can bowl and can bat a bit at number 8, Anshul can do the job. And even Auqib can bat a bit and do the job”.

India left out the experienced Ravindra Jadeja for the third game, reinforcing their fast bowling instead. The veteran has also been a curious choice in the format, coming in the mix with Axar Patel and Washington Sundar both at the Asian Games.

When asked how Jadeja will fit in the scheme once the other two spin all-rounders returned, Gill remained coy.

“When it’s only a three-match series, it becomes very difficult to give experience to players sitting outside. In the future, I think we will discuss with the selectors. Keeping the World Cup in mind, we will keep the players in the squad who can provide more with their skill set”.

A common thread across the three games was India’s fielding, which Gill said was “not up to the mark”, and something they need to get better at leading up to the World Cup.

“I think in the whole series we dropped around seven catches if I’m not wrong,” he said. “And even in the field today we gave away many runs, we were quite sloppy”.

“We need to be at the peak of our powers especially when we’re in the field. It’s not easy for the bowlers so the fielders can help a lot and if the wicket is not helping much for the bowlers and our fielding being substandard, it’s a difficult job for the bowlers”.