India vs Australia: Tale of two World Cup preparations

While Team India is busy experimenting with various batting combinations before the World Cup, Australian vice-captain Alex Carey said his team has grown in confidence. This especially at a time when Steve Smith and David Warner are raring to make a comeback into the WC squad.

“We were put under pressure early in the series. It is obviously really exciting going into tomorrow (Wednesday) with the series on the line,” Carey said on the eve of the fifth ODI here at the Ferozeshah Kotla.

Carey came up with a crucial knock of 21 off just 15 balls in Mohali to help the visitors level the series at 2-2 after losing the first two encounters. Aussie deputy was certain that team’s recent performances only add to their WC plans which will take better shape once Smith and Warner join the main stream cricket after their one-year suspension on March 28.

“I think if you look across the board, everyone has performed at times. For Usman Khawaja, to back up his hundred with a score of 90 was impressive to see. I can go across the whole side and say that everyone’s improving,” Carey was probably finding it difficult to pinpoint a standout performer amongst Finch, Khawaja and Handscomb in the series.

On the other hand, Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun termed his team’s experiments with batting order “a work in progress before the WC”.

On the eve of India’s last ODI before the WC in England, Arun said that it’s a big positive for the players that difficulties have surfaced with some time left for World Cup.

“There are definitely certain areas which we need to address, both in our batting and bowling. More or less the team is quite sure of what the combination is. But yes, we would like to try out all our options before that to ensure there is absolutely no room for any kind of error in trying out the combinations,” Arun clarified the reasons behind rotating batting orders.

On the question of Kedar Jadhav as part-time bowler, Arun said: “Kedar has done the job on many occasions. But we keep telling the bowling unit that as long as we don’t let him bowl, you have done a great job.

“So yes, if necessary, Kedar would come and do the job for us. If not, I think, it is the other five regular bowlers who will be doing the job for the country.”