India made the most of their dead-rubber clash against the Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup, with four part-time bowlers being used as the side tested their bowling options ahead of the semi-final.
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Hardik Pandya’s injury has impacted the balance of India’s XI, with Rohit Sharma opting to play only five frontline bowlers, rather than picking another all-rounder. Though the lack of a sixth bowler has not affected India thus far, the team looked to try out their options ahead of the semi-final against New Zealand, with four part-timers sending down overs against the Netherlands on Sunday.
Having set the Dutch a target of 411, India looked to experiment with the ball, giving Virat Kohli, the “wrong-footed inswinging menace” a full over in ODIs for the first time since 2017. He conceded seven runs in his first over and came back to pick up his first wicket in nine years, dismissing the Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards with a wide ball down the leg side. Kohli, who had been urged by fans to bowl more in the tournament, sent down one more over, ending with 1-13.
The surprises did not end there as Shubman Gill was brought on to bowl for the first time in ODIs soon after. The opener got decent turn, with his flighted deliveries around 80-85kmph, and though he did not get a wicket, he impressed with his lines and conceded 11 runs.
Suryakumar Yadav also sent down his first-ever ball in international cricket, although the Mumbai batter has more experience bowling, having picked up 36 wickets previously in domestic cricket. He was hit for two successive sixes by Teja Nidamanuru in the 35th over, which took his figures to 0-17 in two overs.
With eight bowlers already being tried, chants to get Rohit Sharma to bowl began, but it seemed the India skipper, who last bowled in ODIs in 2016, would not give in to the fans’ desires as Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah then entered the attack. But he did take the ball in the 48th over with India needing one wicket for a win. After being hit for a six by Nidamanuru, Rohit sent down a tossed-up delivery, which the batter smashed across the line, but he could not get the desired power as he ended up giving an easy catch to Shami.
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It was Rohit’s first ODI wicket since 2012 and the first time that Kohli and him have taken a wicket in the same match. India ended up trying nine bowlers in the game, the fourth time that they have used as many in an ODI, and the first since 2009 against Australia.
The fourth time India are using nine bowlers in an ODI.
This is also the joint world record.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) November 12, 2023
It is also only the third time that a team has used nine bowlers in a World Cup innings, after England (against Sri Lanka, 1987) and New Zealand (against Pakistan, 2023).
After the game, head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed their game plan: “[Part-timers] are something we might not need but could need and this was the match to try it out.”
India next play New Zealand in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday.
