PUNE: India will begin their quest to win third World Cup title by ironing out the glitches in the lead up to their first game on June 5. After hitting the ground running with their first practice session in London, Virat Kohli & Co will eye a tough outing in their first World Cup warm-up game against New Zealand at the Oval on Saturday.
While the arch lights will be firmly trained on their talismanic skipper, the number one batsman in 50-over as well as Test cricket, India, and their opponents, would also keenly watch their fancied pace attack that is a mix of speed and guile.
In Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan as openers followed by Virat Kohli, India have one of the finest and potent top three in the world. Veteran MS Dhoni, all-rounder Kedar Jadhav and the big-hitting Hardik Pandya provide depth to the line-up.
Wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal add variety to India’s attack, and Kohli sees them playing an influential role in the coming weeks.
The seasoned Ross Taylor, one of the finest limited overs batsmen in recent years, had said it was good that New Zealand were playing India in the practice game. The reverse also holds true for India, as New Zealand offers them the kind of challenge that could make Kohli’s team battle-hardened.
