TACTICAL PREVIEW
Follow Us“It's disappointing that we don't have that highest level of cricket anymore,” said the Netherlands’ opener Max O’Dowd in an exclusive chat with Cricket.com, regarding ICC’s decision to scrap the ODI Super League. The Super League allowed the Associate nations to lock horns with top teams, thus presenting them a chance to get better.
The last few months for the Netherlands cricket has been a dream. They first secured a place in the World Cup through a cut throat competition in the Qualifiers. Then, a World Cup after three editions, rubbing shoulders with the best teams in the world in front of probably the biggest cricket-loving nation.
The dream has now reached its final stage. The Netherlands face India in the last league game of the tournament. They are placed last on the points table. Technically, they still have something to play for - the 2025 Champions Trophy qualification. However, the gulf between them and the host nation, India, the occasion will be about soaking in the ambiance before heading back to their everyday lives, without the ODI Super League. In that context, Match 45 holds a larger significance for the Dutch than for India.
But, it is the hosts that will enjoy the spotlight, owing to the home crowd. They are through to the knockouts, with a semi-final clash fixed with New Zealand. Given their ace numbers in every department, there is not much to gain for the Men in Blue.
Things to watch out for
A big score for Shubman Gill?
The World Cup has not gone according to the plan for Shubman Gill. He missed the first two games due to dengue. Since joining the team, he has looked good without being spectacular, scoring 219 runs in six matches. Playing for the team that has the highest top order batting average (59.6) in the tournament thus far, Gill, playing as the second opener, has averaged only 36.5.
The 24-year old has had some good starts, crossing the 15-run mark in three out of his six innings as yet but has only one 90+ score. The spinners have dismissed him twice, against whom he averages only 30.5 this tournament.
Given this fixture against the Netherlands comes with least pressure, Gill would like to have a three-figure score under his belt before the Men in Blue head to the knockouts.
Netherlands look for a hero
The Dutch have the lowest batting average (20.7) and run-rate in this World Cup (4.8). Clearly, their batting has not functioned the way they would have liked. They have only eight 50-plus scores this World Cup in eight matches.
All their batters have only shown glimpses, including Sybrand Engelbrecht and Scott Edwards who are the only two Dutch batters to score over 200 runs. In the previous game, where they were bowled out for 179 against England, Teja Nidamanuru scored an unbeaten 41, coming back into the XI. Bas de Leede has been the biggest disappointment. After scoring a brilliant 67 in Netherlands’ first fixture, he has managed only 60 runs in the subsequent seven innings.
In their final game of the World Cup, they would want to leave some batting impact. The task is humongous against a dominant bowling line-up like India but that is where the challenge lies.
The Milestones
Milestone-driven performances have induced polarized opinions in this World Cup. But games like these, with little to no repercussions, offer the bandwidth to go after records. Virat Kohli is one shy of notching up 50 ODI hundreds. He will be the first to do so, making it one of the most anticipated events in India’s remaining fixtures in this tournament.
In other milestones in eyesight, Mohammed Shami is three wickets short of 50 scalps in the 50-over World Cup and KL Rahul needs 57 runs to complete 7500 international runs.
From Netherlands’ perspective, a four-wicket haul will take Logan van Beek to 50 ODI wickets. Meanwhile, the skipper Scott Edwards is 46 runs short of 1500 ODI runs.
Ground Details and Conditions
Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium has hosted four matches in this World Cup. Twice, the team batting first has hoisted a score of 360 or more. In the other two games, the team batting first has folded under 200. However, the consensus in those two was that they scored 100-150 runs lower than the par score.
The spinners have been a lot more productive in the first innings (58.3% wickets, 5.1 economy) as compared to the second innings (41.75 wickets, 7.3 economy).
The pacers would like to keep the length away from the batters. Good length has been economical - 4.9 runs/over. Meanwhile, the back-of-a-length region has produced the most wickets - 20.1 runs/wicket. Bowling on either side of these areas will only result in the ball traveling the park.
The weather forecast is nice and clear, with a 0% chance of rain.
Tactical Insights
> Kohli has suppressed his demons against spin in this World Cup, scoring 226 runs without getting out at a strike rate of 84.3. But the left-arm orthodox spinners have still curbed his scoring rate. His strike rate of 76 against them is the lowest against any bowling type in this competition. Roelof van der Merwe, Kohli’s IPL teammate from 2009, is the only left-arm spin option available with the Dutch to counter Kohli.
> Netherlands’ highest run scorer of the tournament, Engelbercht averages 24 against pace as compared to 135 against spin. Against pace, he has struggled against deliveries pitched away from him. The right-hander has been out thrice by deliveries pitched back-of-a-length or in the short ball region.
Probable XIs
India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid cleared that they don’t feel the need to rest any players given their previous fixture was six days ago. Netherlands can replace O'Dwod with Vikramjit Singh. Opening the innings, O'Dowd has averaged 13.5 at a strike rate of 68.3 in this World Cup.
India: Rohit Sharma ( c ), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
Netherlands: Max O’Dowd, Wasley Baressi, Colin Ackermann, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Scott Edwards (c/wk), Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren
