LONDON: It's one down, three to go in the India-England ODI series. Having lost the Southampton match by seven-wickets after the series opener at Chester-le-Street got rained out, the Indians are under tremendous pressure to make a mark in the contest.
It's now almost imperative that India win the third ODI on Friday, a day-night affair at The Oval. Else, this series will also slip out of their grasp.
However, the ghosts of their embarrassing Test misadventure don't make the task at hand any easier. This is a team plagued not just by physical injury, but mental and emotional scars too. The way they have been performing, their World Cup win seems like distant memory.
Cricket tests a man's mettle and character. Those who return from the brink of failure and succeed have always been applauded. While the circumstances may be unsavory for the Indians, they can make amends with a valiant comeback. This game gives them a chance to show that the World Cup champions have the character to win in favorable and hostile conditions alike.
Among the youngsters who have given hope to India is Ajinkya Rahane - who has impressed with the bat in the two ODIs he has played and is easily the find of the series for India. He was also impressive in the one-off Twenty20 match.
Even makeshift opener Parthiv Patel has made his presence felt with a fine 95 in the opening game, which got washed out. In the same match, the presence of Virat Kohli also helped his team's cause.
Suresh Raina also has put behind the disappointment of the Test series. He has been batting well and scoring at a brisk pace, which augurs well for India.
With Ravindra Jadeja and S Badrinath in the team in place of Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar respectively, the visitors at least more choices to pick the eleven from.
However, with overcast conditions on Thursday sending out grim signals, rain is again expected to play some role on Friday. And if the field is wet, India can again encounter the same problem which they faced during the rain-truncated second ODI in Southampton. The ball will be tough to grip and the Indian pacer will struggle to swing the ball.
For England, there is no such worry. They are enjoying their success and having a good time - be it in the nets or during a match.
There is an element of fun involved in their drills. Fully aware of what they need to do to subdue India, they are looking at a 4-0 scoreline in the ODI series.
If England win the third ODI, India will find it virtually impossible to come back in the series.
