It has been a sorry affair for the Indian Cricket Team ahead of the World Cup. The Men in Blue had their World Cup warmup matches washed off in Guwahati and Trivandrum. Rohit Sharma and Co failed to get the much-needed crucial match practice ahead of the big tournament. On the other hand, the team traveled for more than 6,000 km without playing a single ball.
It is safe to say that the rain gods had no mercy for the Men in Blue, both in Guwahati and Trivandrum, where India was slated to face England and the Netherlands.
India finished their 3rd ODI against Australia in Rajkot and then traveled to Guwahati as they were to face the defending champions, the Three Lions at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium. Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first, but the opportunity never came. Rain played spoilsport and the match was ultimately called off after a long waiting game.
With no game practice, India traveled to Kerala. Out of the 4 matches that were to be held at Trivandrum, 3 of them were washed off and one game yielded a result but was cut short by the rain. The Men in Blue visited Trivandrum, had a decent practice session yesterday, and was prepared to face Netherlands in their last warmup match before the World Cup kicks off.
But the rain had other plans. It continued to rain hard. The toss couldn’t be held. Though the rain subsided and the covers were ultimately lifted, yet again the rain returned and the match had to be abandoned.
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Along with Netherlands, India became the only other team to not have played any warmup match. With the Men in Blue missing out on both the games, there are certain pros and cons.
Cons: Quite obviously India didn’t get any match practice against other teams. The Men in Blue failed to bat or bowl even a single delivery. This can be crucial and play a big role should India get a shaky start against Australia in their opening game of the tournament. On the other hand, back-to-back journeys and long travels can bring out fatigue in the team.
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Pros: Despite the bad situation, there are however some pros for the situation. The Indian players did however participate in their practice sessions and are fit. Not being able to play any game in particularly wet outfield and pitches has prevented some major injuries from taking place. Moreover, India are coming off a 2-1 win against Australia and will face the Men in Yellow in the first game, so it will be a known opponent for India. It is also safe to say, India will be a much better rested team in comparison to the others.
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