Unstoppable India faces deflated England

LUCKNOW: India and England have played with contrasting approaches in the World Cup so far, producing contrasting results. And that is unlikely to change here on Sunday.

India is on course to top the league stage while England is looking to survive in the tournament it won four years ago. The Rohit Sharma-led side has hardly put a foot wrong, having chased successfully for five games in a row.

England set the benchmark in white-ball cricket with its uber aggressive style of play, resulting in global triumphs in both the shorter formats.

However, the boom or bust approach has clearly not worked in Indian conditions and the defending champion finds itself on the brink of an embarrassing exit.

Compared to England, India has very little to worry about though it will be missing the all-round services of Hardik Pandya for at least the next couple of games.

In the usual scenario, R Ashwin would have replaced Shardul Thakur on a pitch that is likely to assist the spinners. However, Pandya’s absence forces the team management to play only five bowlers. Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja walk into the combination for Sunday’s game.

To accommodate Ashwin as the third spinner, India will have to choose between Mohammad Siraj and Mohammed Shami, who asserted his world class credentials with five wickets in Dharamsala. Picking between the two proven performers will be a tough call.

Helped by Rohit’s bold intent in the powerplay, the Indian batters have set the ideal template for rival teams to follow. India has mastered the art of chasing, whether it is in cruise control or in a pressure situation like it found itself against Australia.

In Pandya’s absence, Suryakumar Yadav is the team’s choice at number six. Following an unfortunate run out in his first game of the competition, the X factor player will be itching to make an impact.

The chatter on Shreyas Iyer’s perpetual struggles against the short-ball has resumed following his dismissal in Dharamsala. He will be fired up to prove his doubters wrong.

Shubman Gill, who missed the first couple of games due to dengue, is due for a special knock. The Lucknow crowd could also witness a record-equalling 49th hundred from Virat Kohli.