India vs England ODIs: Fantasy Tips

After a gap of over 3 weeks, cricket resumes in India. The first of the three ODIs between India and England starts on Sunday at Pune and then moves on to Cuttack and Kolkata.

The Indian team is clearly the one in form and they will be looking forward to continuing their long-format form into the limited-overs formats. However, an England comeback cannot be ruled out as they finished 2016 as they second-best ODI side winning 11 of their 18 ODIs.

Here are some Oye Captain Fantasy tips in order to get the best possible team as per the various scenarios surrounding the match venues and squads.

Player Composition

With just 100 credits available to a fantasy team owner, it is vital to find the right combination of players to make up the best possible 11 which is within the budget limits. A team owner will need to assess every aspect before choosing the right number of batsmen, bowlers, and a wicketkeeper.

One player who is most likely to be on every fantasy team is the newly appointed Indian limited-overs captain, Virat Kohli. At 11, Kohli comes at quite a price, but the return on that investment is bound to help team owners make an easy decision.

From England’s side, the one player that will be on most of the rosters is Joe Root. While England capitulated throughout the Test series, Root was the one constant who attempted to hold fort and save his team from great embarrassment.

Team owners might need to make a few gambles when it comes to a couple of spots in the side in case both Kohli and Root feature on that side. Bargain players like Shikhar Dhawan, Sam Billings, Jasprit Bumrah and others can help you draft both Kohli and Root on your side.

Horses for Courses

Been there, done that: Shikhar Dhawan (L) and Ajinkya Rahane performed admirably in India’s last match at Cuttack

The first ODI that is to be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune is only the venue’s second ever ODI with the first having been played back in 2013. The other two internationals that were played here were T20Is, one in 2012 and the other in 2016.

The first international in Pune was the 2012 T20I match between India and England. India won that match in a convincing manner. Only Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler from the current roster were part of the English side that played that T20I. Hales had scored 56 off 35 balls in that match and could be worth a punt considering how he played during the warm-up games too.

Yuvraj Singh has done fairly well at Pune taking 5 wickets in 2 innings while scoring some handy runs. Having played for the erstwhile Pune Warriors, the all-rounder will know the conditions there very well.

The last time India played at Cuttack, the host of the second ODI, was in 2014 when India beat Sri Lanka by 169. Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane scored hundreds each and put on a commanding 231 runs for the opening wicket in that match while Umesh Yadav bowled admirably then.

The last ODI is to be held at one of the most iconic Indian grounds – Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Had Rohit Sharma been fit, it would have been a no-brainer to include him, but in his absence, roping in Kohli seems like an obvious choice. He has an average of just under 45 and scored a hundred and a fifty in the four ODIs he has played at the ground. Bumrah and Yadav can be expected to cause English batsmen problems at Kolkata if they can maintain their bowling discipline.

Don’t ignore importance of fielding

MS Dhoni’s wicket-keeping skills makes him a must have in your team

One of the most ignored aspects while playing fantasy cricket is fielding. With 15 points for a catch, 20 for a stumping, and 15 for a run-out, fielders can get you points by the dozen!

Both the Indian and English sides boast a number of quality fielders, who will be placed at important positions on the field in order to grab a catch or cause a run-out. From England, Ben Stokes, Sam Billings and Jason Roy are the ones to note as all three are live wires in the field. Roy is one player who can latch on to some of the most amazing catches.

In India, captain Kohli leads by example on the field. However, the players occupying crucial places on the field will be Rahane, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja. One cannot forget the impact that Indian wicketkeeper, MS Dhoni will have, as he still is, arguably, the fastest behind the wickets and never drops catches.

As both teams battle it out on the field, fantasy team owners will be looking to make the strongest XI and battle it out on Oye Captain.