Who is harder to read, Yuzvendra Chahal or Kuldeep Yadav? Shikhar Dhawan picks his choice

Opener Shikhar Dhawan believes the Indian ODI team now has the right balance and x-factor to succeed anywhere, holding the number one side in good stead ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England.

“We have a lot of experience. For instance this is my second tour to South Africa, so I was better equipped for this tour, mentally and skill-wise. That plays a big role,” said Dhawan ahead of the third ODI against South Africa on Wednesday. “The good thing is there’s experience and youth, but the younger players are also playing like they have had a lot of experience. That is a big strength of ours.”

And Hardik Pandya gives the team the extra edge. “With an all-rounder coming in, the balance overseas is set. We have the option of not introducing spinners early, depending on the situation. So we have a lot of flexibility. If the game goes a certain way, we know that we can bring on spinners later than normal, and Hardik can bowl at that time. That is certainly an x-factor,” he added.

India, who have a poor ODI record in South Africa, is set For improvement after being 2-0 up in the six-match series. South …read more