Unchanged XI on cards for Men in Blue as India prepare for CWC clash against Netherlands on Diwali

Coming off fresh after a week’s gap, the Indian Team is unlikely to change their playing XI against the Netherlands. With both teams appearing in the final league match of this World Cup on Diwali in Bengaluru, head coach Rahul Dravid hinted at a full-throttle Indian Team taking the field on Sunday (Nov 12). Without spilling any beans on the team combination in another CWC dead rubber, Dravid said the players have had good rest in the past week.

"I mean, honestly, we've had six days off from the last game," Dravid said on the eve of the match in Bengaluru. "So, we're pretty well rested. We've got one game before the semi-final and the guys are in good shape. That's all I'll say without giving away much."

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Considering India’s stance on the points table, with them remaining unbeaten in eight contested matches thus far, Dravid was asked about a potential change in the seam-bowling attack, with Prasidh Krishna getting a game, to which he replied,

"So, now, at this stage, it's about just focusing on getting the guys who you think are going to be playing in the XI in the best possible space mentally and physically, to be able to play that semi-final and, hopefully, the final if we earn it," Dravid said.

"So, that will be the single-pointed thinking. There are times for larger-picture thinking, and there are times for narrow-focus thinking in my opinion, and now's the time for narrow-focus thinking if everyone is fit,” the head coach added.

We had the right balance: Dravid

Dravid shed light on the importance of having the right balance in the team, which eventually leads to desired results.

Speaking on Hardik’s absence and how the team has coped up since then, the head coach said the balance and build-up to this World Cup saved what could be a blow to the side.

Referring to how India suffered the wrath in the previous two tournaments due to an imbalance in the team, Dravid said,"I think when you're playing big tournaments like this, you want your best players playing. Unfortunately, at the T20 World Cup [last year], we probably didn't have a little bit of that luck, especially when you lose players like Bumrah and Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja]. At the World Test Championship, we missed a couple of guys.

"Even here, to be honest, we have missed a couple of guys, one before the tournament and one during the tournament. But we've been able to respond really well so far. And I think that's been, again, something I'm very proud of.

"We had a balance. We've structured the whole thing around certain things. But when that hasn't happened, we've had the ability, the skill, and the mental fortitude to be able to bounce back and to be able to still compete and do really well. So yeah, I think credit to the guys, credit to, like I said, I think even the NCA for all the work that they do,” Dravid added.

India will face New Zealand in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.