Over the coming months it may well be a pivotal period for Crawley’s career. His domestic cricket return in England is promising and some good performances in one-day tournaments could see him back with the national team. But for now, the priority is a break from red-ball cricket and preparing himself mentally and physically to take on the challenges ahead.
Crawley’s story is not finished – clearly, being dropped from the England side at 25 after less than two full seasons in Test cricket cannot be anything but something of a blow. At just 28 years of age, there is still much more cricket ahead for him and many will follow closely to see how this latest challenge sits with Pav.
With Virat Kohli out of the match due to an injury, younger players have a chance. If Yashasvi Jaiswal is an option, he will generate lots of interest; veteran names like KL Rahul in the middle order need to be calm. With both spin and pace options, India’s bowling attack also seems well equipped to do some damage against Afghanistan’s batting unit.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, come over with a point to prove against one of the strongest ODI sides in world cricket. Despite their recent struggles in a one-off Test match against India, where they were blown away in less than two days’, the Afghanistan team have proved more than handy on the white-ball circuit. They boast a number of players within their ranks with international experience under the lights who can turn it on and decide games.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz will play a key role at the top while senior campaigners such as Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi provide balance and leadership. Afghanistan’s hopes may hinge on the performance of their spinners in the middle overs and how well their batting unit copes with India’s diverse bowling attack.
Dharamsala conditions may well render the early exchanges at a premium. New ball should mean movement and bounce for the fast bowlers, but most of it becomes easier as the game gets old. The prospect of interruptions owing to the weather has additionally been discussed in forecasts, which is able to stimulate but another complexity into taking part within the match.
Afghanistan are capable of pulling off a few tricks every now and then, but India seem to have the upper hand in all aspects. The home side would be filled with confidence and will look to compete hard for an early series lead, but Afghanistan is desperate to prove that it can belong on the field against one of cricket’s best teams.
Read more: Zak Crawley Takes Break from First-Class Cricket After England Test Axe
