After a couple of weeks of brilliant cricket we can easily say that the best two teams have qualified for the finals of the Champions Trophy. India will have the upper hand having won all their matches in the tournament and will start as favourites on Sunday but taking England lightly will be a foolish mistake as they have the ingredients to spring a few surprises.
As we move closer to the start of the finals let’s have a look at the battles to watch out for in what can be a thrilling contest between the two teams.
Shikhar Dhawan vs. James Anderson
Shikhar Dhawan has been in terrific form all throughout the tournament and will be ozing with confidence on Sunday to take on the England bowlers. Having said all that one guy he should be wary off is James Anderson who has the ability to bring the ball back in to the left-handers and can also get the odd one to move out of the batsman. Dhawan, being a natural stroke maker will look to take on Anderson and has all the components to make a good contest.
Virat Kohli vs. Stuart Broad
Virat Kohli seemed to have found his touch in the last match as he went on to make a brilliant half-century in India's eight wicket victory against Sri lanka in the semi-finals. Runs under your belt can always help before a big match like the final and Kohli on song can bring curtains to England’s chances. Stuart Broad on the other hand will do all that is required to see Kohli's back and in cloudy conditions, he can be more than a handful bowler. Only time will tell who comes on top in the match that counts.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni vs. Alistair Cook
It will be a test of nerves for both the captains as one mistake can turn out to be the decisive factor between winning and losing. Both the captains will have to play their cards carefully and and it has all the makings of a game of chess. While Dhoni himself can turn the fortunes of the match with the bat in hand, Cook will have to be up and ready to withstand the storm.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs. Alistair Cook
Similar kind of bowlers when compared to Anderson, Bhuvneshwar Kumar can also make the ball talk and move it both ways which can make life increasingly difficult for the England skipper. Kumar has a knack of picking up early wickets and Cook has to be at his very best to counter the swing of Kumar. Time will tell who will get the better off whom.
Umesh Yadav vs. England top-order
The likes of Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott must be well aware of the threat Umesh Yadav possesses with the ball in hand and can surprise a few players with the kind of pace he can generate of the wicket. Generally bowls a heavy ball and can hit the bat high, Yadav also has very good short ball which can hurry on to the batsman and might catch him napping. It will interesting to see whether England have a plan in place for Yadav or not.
Indian spinners vs. England batting
The likes of R.Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have enough cards in their armoury to test the England batsman. The middle overs can turn out to be very crucial when the Indian spinners will bowl in tandom and try to choke the flow of runs. In a match as big as the final a couple of dot balls can lead to a wicket and it would be a contest worth waiting for. Whether the English batters use their feet against the Indian spinners or the likes of Ashwin and Jadeja can spin a web, only time can be the judge.