Team India’s preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup at home couldn’t have got off to a better start. The Men in Blue completed a 3-0 clean sweep in both their ODI series to begin the new year, comfortably beating Sri Lanka and New Zealand to put themselves in good stead ahead of the marquee tournament later in the year. Let us take a quick look at how Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and the rest of India’s ODI stars fared in the first six matches of the year.
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Stats vs Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Runs: 567 | Average: 113 | Strike rate: 110
The prince of Indian cricket has finally arrived in 2023 as Shubman Gill has made his mark for the Men in Blue in the ODI format to start the new year. Gill has scored 567 runs in six innings against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, dominating the bowlers with authority and scoring two centuries and one magnificent double ton. Gill has embraced the modern ODI batting approach, going hard against the pacers and spinners throughout his innings and has already broken all sorts of records in his short 50-over career for team India.
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Stats vs Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Runs: 328 | Average: 5 | Strike rate: 106
After a lean period to end 2022, Rohit Sharma was back to his best to start the new year. The team India skipper found his touch with the bat against the Blackcaps and Islanders, ending his three-year century drought in the ODI format with a majestic century in Indore. Sharma has also shown his adaptability while opening the innings, making a concerted effort to up his scoring rate for the team to maximise the powerplay.
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Stats vs Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Runs: 338 | Average: 58 | Strike rate: 134
Having played half the number of innings, Virat Kohli has already beaten his ODI run tally from 2022 in January, and the King has regained his Midas touch for the Men in Blue in his pet format. Kohli laced two centuries in the series against Sri Lanka and tormented the opposition bowlers throughout the middle overs. Just like the openers, Kohli has looked to be more aggressive throughout his innings in 2023. The number three has an incredible strike rate of 134 in his six knocks against Sri Lanka and New Zealand to go along with an outstanding dot ball percentage. of just 30.2%.
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Stats vs Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Wickets: 11 | Economy: 5.1 | Dot ball %: 55
Kuldeep Yadav made a stellar return to team India’s ODI setup with his performances against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, overtaking Yuzvendra Chahal in the pecking order. Yadav’s faster speeds and quicker action held him in good stead on some flat batting surfaces in the series, and the left-arm wrist-spinner has emerged as a genuine candidate to start for team India at the World Cup alongside Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja.
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Stats vs Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Wickets: 14 | Economy: 4.6 | Dot ball %: 70.4
Mohammed Siraj has risen to the top of the ICC ODI rankings following his glorious performances for team India with the white ball in 2023. The Hyderabad pacer has been at his venomous best with the new ball and through the middle overs. Siraj has moved the ball both ways alongside Mohammed Shami to start the innings and his discipline and accuracy throughout his spell is evident with his outstanding economy rate and dot ball % figures in the two series.
[Featured Image Credit: Indian Cricket Team]
ML Sports