5 key battles to look forward to in the Tri-Series

The tri-series featuring India, England and the hosts Australia is an ideal platform to prepare and test combinations before the World Cup which starts in Australia and New Zealand in a month’s time.This series will feature some much-anticipated rivalries that have developed over the last 2-3 years leading up to the World Cup. And this is what makes the series exciting and unique. India, Australia and England feature in a tri-series for the very first time since the tri-series was included in the Australian cricketing calendar and is bound to give some indications of what to expect from these sides during the World Cup.So let’s take a look at some of the interesting face-offs which will be on display in the tri-series:

#1 Virat Kohli vs James Anderson

During India’s tour of England in July-August 2014, Virat Kohli was dismissed by James Anderson no less than five times. The Delhi batsman kept on prodding at the line outside off-stump, and Anderson, being the smart bowler he is, kept bowling in that corridor of uncertainty to force him to make such mistakes.

In the series, Kohli looked susceptible outside the off-stump as soon as Anderson came on to bowl in almost every match with the possible exception of Southampton. As the series went on, his confidence clearly diminished and he wasn’t able to resist the temptation of poking at deliveries that were well outside his eye-line. After a point, it almost seemed as if Kohli’s ego came in the way as he refused to change his approach, without realising that he needed to put greater priority on his wicket against a bowler of the ilk of Anderson.

However, in the recently concluded series against Australia, Kohli scored 692 runs at a stupendous average of over 80 and showed that the England series was nothing more than a blip. With his confidence now sky-high after tackling Mitchell Johnson brilliantly, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top when they go head-to-head this time around.

#2 David Warner vs Stuart Broad

After the huge controversy over not walking after a thick edge which carried to the slips during the 2013 Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, the Australian media went ahead to call Stuart Broad a ‘Smug Pommie Brat’ and another newspaper refused to name him when he picked up 5 wickets in the Ashes series Down Under later that year. David Warner, on the other hand, was the target of England fans’ fury when he allegedly punched Joe Root during the Champions Trophy in 2013 and called Broad a ‘sook’ not long after.

While both these cricketers do have the unfortunate habit of getting into trouble for their behaviour from time to time, it shouldn’t be forgotten that they are proven international stars who will be eager to step up to the plate for their respective teams during the tri-series and World Cup.

#3 James Faulkner vs Ishant Sharma

Remember that 30-run over in the game against Australia at Mohali by Ishant Sharma that completely changed the course of the game which India was all set to win? Remember that night of cursing & swearing and witnessing those scenes of how easily James Faulkner dispatched Ishant over the ropes in a crunch situation hitting 4 sixes?

Faulkner, since then, has developed into a proper all-rounder and is relied upon to not just pick up crucial wickets with the ball but also provide an impetus with the bat. Ishant, on the other hand, has failed to lead the Indian bowling attack from the front and wasn’t an absolute certainty to be picked in the squad for the World Cup. Given that he has now got the opportunity, Ishant will be eager to show that he has improved his death bowling since that ODI series in November 2013 and play the role that the experienced Zaheer Khan did back in the 2011 World Cup.

Faulkner’s exploits in ODIs and T20Is:

Batting	Mat	Inns	Runs	Ave	SR
ODIs	34	26	676	45.06	109.56
T20Is	11	8	97	24.25	107.77

Bowling	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	Avg	Econ	SR
ODIs	34	33	1580	1483	47	31.55	5.63	33.6
T20Is	11	11	232	294	14	21	7.6	16.5

#4 Glenn Maxwell vs Ravichandran Ashwin

One of Ravichandran Ashwin’s major weapons in limited-overs cricket is the “Carrom Ball”, a delivery which is flicked with the use of the thumb and a bent middle finger. While Ashwin does not have great control over the delivery, he has had great success with the variation.

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, however, has no issue countering Ashwin and enjoys his battles with the Indian off-spinner. During the last IPL, Maxwell taunted the 28-year-old by saying that he could pick his variations any time of the day and backed it up by smashing him for 30 off 15 balls and 34 off 9 balls during the two group matches between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

In ODIs and T20Is, however, Ashwin has dismissed Maxwell twice and arguably had the upper hand over the Aussie. They will be resuming their battle during the tri-series, and it will be safe to say that it’ll be a mouth-watering one.

#5 Ravindra Jadeja vs James Anderson

Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson were in the eye of the storm after the Indian team lodged an official protest against the England bowler for allegedly making physical contact with Jadeja during the 1^st Test at Trent Bridge. With conflicting versions coming out from both dressing rooms and there being no concrete proof of either individual being in the wrong, the Australian judge decided to not make much of the incident. Captain MS Dhoni, in particular, was aggrieved by the judgement, and it almost seemed like poetic justice when Jadeja ran Anderson out to win the second Test at Lord’s.

Whether the two of them indulge in verbal volleys in the coming matches remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that the atmosphere will be tense when these two have a go at each other. Both players, coincidentally, are coming back from injury, and it’s not certain how much time it will take before the two get back to their best.

What is certain, though, is that they will be absolutely integral to their teams if they harbour ambitions of winning the coveted World Cup. While Anderson will open the bowling for England and be expected to strike a couple of early blows with the new ball as often as possible, Jadeja provides tremendous balance to India with his left-arm spin and ability to contribute crucial runs down the order.