The top-two ranked ODI sides will go head-to-head in one of the most pivotal clashes of the 2019 ICC World Cup with England and India set to lock horns at Edgbaston on Sunday.
It is India who come into the clash with momentum on their side with the Men in Blue just one point away from clinching a place in the semi-final.
England, on the other hand, have their backs against the wall after three defeats and are under immense pressure to keep their semi-final qualification hopes alive with a win on Sunday.
The stakes are as high as they can be, especially for England, and the outcome could very well come down to the finest of margins.
Here, we look at three key battles that could decide Sunday’s clash.
SHAMI V BAIRSTOW
Mohammed Shami has been a revelation for India so far in the World Cup ever since he came into the playing XI in place of the injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The 29-year-old pacer is looking fitter and leaner than ever and has already picked up eight wickets in his two appearances including a stunning hat-trick against Afghanistan.
The right-arm pacer looked in menacing form in the recent outing against Windies and he will once again be trusted to lead the new-ball attack alongside Jasprit Bumrah.
Up against Shami first up will be Jonny Bairstow who has now failed to fire in both of England’s defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia. The England opener was looking in good touch at the start of the tournament and he will be eager to get back to his very best with his side in a desperate situation.
Bairstow has hit out at England’s critics recently but the Yorkshireman will have to make his bat do the talking on Sunday. Shami, however, isn’t going to make his task easier with the way he has been bowling of late.
Shami has eight wickets in two games.
KULDEEP V ROOT
Amidst England’s shambles, Joe Root has remained a class apart with the right-hander having a terrific individual tournament with the bat.
The England stalwart has already racked up 432 runs in seven innings with the help of two tons and three half-centuries and is looking like a hard man to dislodge at the moment.
Root’s personal battle with Kuldeep Yadav will be a pivotal one with the young wrist-spinner being one of India’s biggest wicket-taking threat. Root was initially bamboozled by Kuldeep when India toured England last year but the Englishman quickly got on top of the spinner as the series progressed.
Kuldeep is slowly starting to rediscover his best after a poor IPL campaign but the India spinner will have his task cut out against an in-form Root. If the England No3 gets on top of Kuldeep and the spinners, it could be hard for India to contain England to a manageable total.
Kuldeep is one of India’s chief wicket-taking threats.
ROHIT V ARCHER
With the injury to Shikhar Dhawan, the importance of Rohit Sharma with the bat has only increased for India.
The India deputy skipper had a stellar start to his World Cup campaign two tons and a half-century but he has since gone off the boil. Rohit’s cheap dismissals in the last two games has seen India struggle with the bat against Afghanistan and West Indies and the right-hander will need to raise his levels once again on Sunday.
Rohit’s new-ball battle with Jofra Archer will definitely be one to watch with the England pacer looking extremely good in his maiden World Cup campaign.
The Barbados-born pacer has been the best English bowler on display with 16 wickets in seven games to his name and he has the capability to turn up the heat on India’s batsmen.
If he can get England Rohit’s wicket early, it could be half the battle won for the hosts.
Archer has been England’s best bowler in the tournament.
