India vs Australia: 5 Changes India could make for the 1st ODI

#2. Bring back Kedar Jadhav

Jadhav lends balance to the Indian team

Kedar Jadhav was a vital part of the ODI series in New Zealand as India scripted a historic triumph. The batsman’s ability to get going from the outset coupled with his attribute to double up as a sixth bowler provided India with numerous options.

For the T20Is, India preferred to go in with five bowlers. The hosts were made to pay each time as they didn’t have a back-up bowler to fill in for the front-line bowlers who went the distance.

However, with Jadhav in the mix, the home side wouldn’t face such issues as the lad from Maharashtra can turn his arm over if required.

While Jadhav’s introduction into the eleven seems a mere formality, the question of who he might replace is slightly more complex. He could come in as a direct replacement for Dinesh Karthik or the Indians could take the other (and probably more naïve) route of playing him instead of Vijay Shankar.

In the latter case, the onus would be on Jadhav to complete his quota of ten overs which could prove to be an arduous task. However, that would allow the hosts to play an extra specialist batsman in the form of Rahul or Pant.

Yet, it represents an extraordinarily risky ploy and one hopes that India would not fiddle so drastically with their playing combination in the first ODI.

Thus, the hosts should, hopefully adopt the former scenario and make the switch between Karthik and Jadhav.