Virat Kohli led Team India scripted history on Friday, becoming the first Asian team to win a register a bilateral ODI series win against Australia on their home turf. The men in blue begin their campaign against the Kiwis with the first ODI to be played at the McLean Park in Napier on Wednesday. The two teams while face each each in four more ODIs before heading for the three T20Is starting from February 6.
The Indian cricket team are looking really strong as a core unit and have been by many as favourites for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 scheduled to be played in less than four months. Former New Zealand pacer Danny Morrison believes that Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been rested for the limited over fixtures against Australia and New Zealand, will be the key to India’s chances at the 2019 World Cup.
“Bumrah is a classic product of IPL and white-ball cricket development of new breed of India talent,” Morrison told Sportstar on Sunday, while commentating in the ongoing edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. “It is fabulous to see the ‘unusual’/unorthodox bowling actions still cutting it at the highest levels of the game, unearthing unique talents from the subcontinent,” Morrison added.
Bumrah played a vital role in India’s historic Test series victory against Australia down under. The 25 year old ended up as the joint highest wicket taker in the four match Test series with 21 wickets, while giving away just 357 runs in the process.
Morrison, who was part of the New Zealand team that made it to the semi finals of the 1992 World Cup under Martin Crowe, was also optimistic about New Zealand’s chances at the quadrennial event to be held between May 30 and July 14.
“I don’t subscribe to Black Caps being “surprise package” anymore! Their run in the 2015 World Cup helped of course, much like 1992 when we made it to the semis… 1996 New Zealand made the quarters, 1999 another semi-final. In 2003 and 07, we were the underachievers but made the semis in 2011… So, I believe the Kiwis lift themselves at World Cups and NZ fans have more of an expectation of doing well. I rate chances of making semis again,” he said.
