India vs England Highlights World Cup 2023 warm-up match: Match abandoned due to rain in Guwahati

England's cricketing philosophy underwent significant changes in recent years, with their batting lineup now including formidable players like Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, and Moeen Ali. Facing this lineup is a daunting task for any bowling attack, and India lost an ideal opportunity for bowlers to challenge themselves.

On the batting front, the ongoing debate between Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan for a place in the middle-order added an interesting dimension to India's team composition. While Iyer has a commendable record in ODIs, Ishan's recent performances and versatility make him a strong contender for selection. As a left-hander who aggressively takes on bowlers, Ishan offers a different dynamic to the lineup. As KL Rahul is likely to fulfill the dual roles of wicketkeeping and batting at No. 5 in most matches, Ishan Kishan's main competition for a spot in the XI remains Shreyas Iyer. Iyer recently displayed his batting prowess with a century against Australia in Indore, reinforcing his credentials for selection.

Key points

• Match was called off due to rain in Guwahati
• India had won toss and opt to bat against England. Everyone is fit, says Rohit
• India face defending champions England, who boast of an incredible batting depth with the likes of Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, and even Mark Wood providing much-needed cushion to the batting-order.
• Ravichandran Ashwin was called as a last-minute change for the injured Axar Patel in the World Cup squad, and it will be crucial to give him game time ahead of the tournament proper.
• Shreyas Iyer vs Ishan Kishan conundrum gives an interesting dimension to the warm-up game against England. While Ishan has been a mainstay in the side for the past few months due to injuries to Iyer and KL Rahul, the former's return to run-scoring could spice things up in the middle-order.