Follow UsBalance is something all the teams look to have up in their XI. In recent times, India have gone in with two spinners - Kuldeep Yadav and the all-round option of Ravindra Jadeja, but have also gone in with three, as they did against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final, as the conditions demanded it.
With India set to kick start their World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai, skipper Rohit Sharma has not ruled out playing three pacers and as many pacers.
"Yeah, I mean, that's the luxury we have where we can afford to play three spinners. I don't really consider Hardik Pandya as just a seamer. He's a proper fast bowler who can crank up good speed. So that gives us an advantage," Rohit said ahead of the game against Australia.
"That gives us that luxury of playing three spinners and three seamers as well, you know, so there's a possibility that we can play three spinners on this pitch with three seamers as well, so it gives us that balance gives us that number eight batting option as well, so yeah like I said will we have to come here again tomorrow afternoon and see what the pitch looks like but yeah, three spinners is definitely an option."
Rohit also confirmed that Shubman Gill, who is ill, has not been ruled out of their tournament opener and will give him every chance to take the field on Sunday (October 8).
"I want him to get well he you know he's a young guy he's got a fit body, so he'll recover he'll recover quick. We are monitoring him on a daily basis. So, we're going to give him every chance to recover and see how he feels. So, he's not ruled out yet," Rohit confirmed.
The last time these two sides met at Chepauk in March, the Australian spinners shared six wickets between them to help their side to a 21-run victory and with that, they also clinched the series.
Rohit reckons that the weather is slightly cooler now, but has to wait and watch what the pitch will look like on matchday.
"In March, it was quite hot, I don't think it is that hot now. We trained yesterday in the evening and we trained the day before in the afternoon. So pretty much felt the conditions were a lot better actually than what it was in March. March was quite humid and hot. It is hot but it is not that humid. It's slightly better," Rohit, who will lead India for the first time in a 50-over World Cup, said.
"But the pitch, I think I don't know. We still have to wait and see how it looks on match day because the colour of the pitch changes quite a lot here. So, we will wait on that match day and see what we need to do because that is something that we always do in India."
With Australia having played plenty of matches in India, more than they have back home, will the familiarity facotr help the opponents? Rohit though, does not read too much into it.
"I mean, it's absolutely true that they play a lot of cricket here. A lot of T20 cricket recently played three ODIs against us. And before IPL, we played three ODIs again," Rohit explains.
"So, in terms of, you know how they plan their schedule, it's pretty good and they know what is at stake, World Cup coming in India, so we got to make sure that they play as many ODIs as possible in India and against India.
"So, it helps them, obviously. It's a good thing that they've done. But again, the conditions are not going to matter too much to any team, because a lot of these teams have come here and played so much cricket. So, in terms of the alien conditions, I don't think it's there anymore.
"You just have to play good cricket and it is the same anywhere you go now. Honestly, all teams are playing so much cricket everywhere around the world. So, I don't think any team would feel that, oh, where am I? I have never played, you know, on pitches like this before. So, I don't think that's the case anymore."
India, though go into the World Cup at the back of a 2-1 series win over Australia. The Aussies will, in fact, stick around even after the mega event for the five-match T20I series.