Vaibhav Tripathi in Dubai
At the top, you’ve got a dynamic opener; alongside him, the number one ODI batter in the world at the moment, followed by arguably the greatest ODI batter of all time. Add in a solid anchor at four, a versatile floater, a flexible batter, and two reliable finishers. This lineup sounds like a dream team, almost like the Avengers assembling.
This isn’t a fantasy. It’s India’s current ODI playing eleven. With two of the finest to ever grace the 50-over format, seamlessly complemented by the class of Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul, and ignited by the raw power of Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja, this batting order is a masterpiece of balance. It has steel, it has fire, and above all, it has the kind of adaptability that makes it the most formidable force in ODI cricket today.
“This is the best batting lineup that I have been a part of. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli I think are the all-time one-day greats in the world,” said Gill in the press conference ahead of the final. “Rohit bhai, one of the best openers in white-ball cricket, and Virat bhai, I don’t think I need to say anything about him. He is one of the best ODI batters ever. I’m batting in between the two, and then below we have Shreyas who is in such good form, then KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja.”
With Jadeja slotted at number eight, India’s batting depth provides the top order with the freedom to play their natural game, especially someone like Rohit Sharma, who thrives on taking on the bowlers in the Powerplay.
No longer do early wickets send tremors through the dressing room. Against New Zealand, when Rohit, Gill, and Virat Kohli fell early, the middle order rose like an unyielding tide. Iyer and Axar stitched together a defining 98-run stand to take their team to a par total, ensuring India had a fighting chance.
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Even in the face of a late scare against Australia, when a couple of wickets fell quickly threatening to shift the momentum, Pandya stepped in. Alongside Rahul, he guided India home, reaffirming that this team does not stumble. It thrives under pressure. Such has been India’s dominance that someone like Jadeja has barely needed to wield his bat, facing just 21 deliveries en route to the final.
“The depth in our batting helps free up the batters at the top. We can play freely because we know we have the depth,” underlined Gill. “This is one thing we used to struggle with earlier. We didn’t have the batting depth, so the pressure on the top order was more to score more and stay longer. But I think the depth allows us to play more freely.”
This Indian lineup does not just boast individual brilliance. It is a collective juggernaut, an assembly of cricketers who complement each other’s strengths and neutralize every weakness. It has the perfect blend of experience and youth, aggression and composure, flamboyance and grit.
There is no weak link, no soft underbelly in this lineup. Every batter in this playing XI is capable of winning a match single-handedly. If one falls, another stands up. If pressure builds, someone relieves it with a calculated onslaught.
Also Read: Champions trophy final: Can India add another ICC trophy to the cabinet?