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The cricketing world is abuzz with excitement as the ODI World Cup 2023 continues to captivate fans with its thrilling matches and intense competition. Among all, the one team that has been making waves in the tournament with their performance are the hosts, India. The Men in Blue are so far undefeated in the event and sit at the top of the points table with five consecutive wins.
India will now next face defending champions England at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket stadium in Lucknow on October 29 and are leaving no stone unturned to practice for the important clash with an aim to maintain their winning streak.
Harbhajan Singh comes up with a game-changing recommendation
In the lead-up to this much-anticipated showdown, veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh, a name that cricket aficionados hold in high regard, has recommended a significant change to India’s playing XI. The change he suggested by Harbhajan is not just a mere tactical manoeuvre but a potentially game-changing decision, considering the spin-friendly nature of Lucknow’s pitch.
India’s last match and seamer-spinner dynamics
It is worth mentioning that India played their last match against New Zealand, and their line-up featured three seamers and two spinners. The strategy worked out for Rohit Sharma and Co. asthey registered a convincing victory in the clash with Mohammad Shami, who stepped in as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya, made an immediate impact by taking a brilliant five-wicket haul and announced his arrival in the World Cup with style.
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Harbhajan’s call for an extra spinner in the Playing XI
Although many think that India should stick to the winning combination from the match against the Blackcaps, Harbhajan’s perspective diverges from the popular opinion, and he believes that a change in the composition is necessary, advocating for the inclusion of an extra spinner, given the spin-friendly nature of Lucknow’s pitch. Harbhajan even went a step further and named the player he feels should be dropped to accommodate this change.
Harbhajan backs Ashwin’s inclusion and names the player who could make the way
In a discussion on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan expressed his desire to see Ravichandran Ashwin join Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI against England. He also commended Kuldeep’s recent performances.
The former spinner further highlighted England’s lacklustre performance in the tournament and stressed how India can exploit their vulnerabilities by deploying three spinners. He even named Mohammed Siraj as a player who could be rested to make way for an extra spinner.
“Kuldeep Yadav’s form has been good, but I wonder if we will get to see three spinners play in the next game – Kuldeep, (Ravindra) Jadeja, and Ashwin. It could be a possibility since England do not play spin well,” said Harbhajan.
“As it is, England are not playing well in the World Cup, and if the ball starts spinning, I don’t think they will be able to do much better. Playing three spinners might not be a bad option. Siraj can be rested. He has played back-to-back games. Shami has just come into the playing XI and has claimed a five-fer. If a pitch is a normal one and is not expected to offer a lot of turn, then I do not see too many changes in the team,” he added.
