What 5th ODI of the five-match series between India and England When September 5, 2014 Where Headingley, Leeds The Teams India Even after two consecutive wins, there was a certain sect that didn’t quite back India to win for the third consecutive time. They expected England to bounce back and take the series right till the very end. Those talks have however been put to rest. 3-0 up and there is only one way India is going - Upwards. India now can hold the trophy aloft at Headingley irrespective of the consequence of the match. The fourth ODI at Edgbaston was a pointer of how lethal an ODI side India is. The bowlers set it up perfectly for the batsmen and when the time came for willow talk, India displayed the full face of their bat. An opening woe that had plagued India since long, finally looked back on track with Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan getting big scores. A maiden ODI century for Rahane and a coming-of-form 97 for Dhawan sealed the series for India. The World Cup is still close to six months away and India have their own options for the opening slot. It may seem as if the final ODI is of limited consequence but these are vital games for both sides ahead of the marquee tournament next year. Hence this could well be the match were players could be tried out, bowling and batting combinations could be worked out, potentials could be noticed and a few key players could be given a rest after a tiring England tour. A perfect time to test the bench strength but if the captain endorses the idea of testing it will only be known after the coin toss. Yes, India would want to hand England a whitewash but one would like to believe there would be no harm in giving a few players who are waiting in the wings a chance. England They might have been high on their Test heroics but ahead of the World Cup England have plenty of problems to resolve. They do not look like a threatening side in limited overs. They look unsure of their batting combination and apart from James Anderson (barring the fourth ODI) none of the other bowlers look intimidating. Their batting boasts of some big names and young talent but England need to find their balance right if they are to build a team for the World Cup. They have been found wanting against spin in all the three ODIs against India failing to make an impact with the bat. Runs are important in the fifty over format and England have had a paucity of the same. There are questions being raised about the caliber of the side; some of the cricketing know-hows have already written them off from the World Cup campaign. More than anything, this ODI would be of great importance for Alastair Cook and company. A win would boost their morale and give them the confidence a side needs moving on. The series is out of their grasp, the trophy is set to change hands, but the mind needs to be in place for the bigger picture. Key Players India After a run drought in the Test series and the first three ODIs, the team finally saw Shikhar Dhawan in full flow. Dhawan was in a zone of his own in the fourth ODI at Edgbaston which would have come as a relief for the team and him likewise. Those flashy drives and the back-foot punch, taking the attack to the opposition - all so synonymous to Dhawan were all showcased in one innings. With India having plenty of options for the opening slot, Dhawan would want to use the final ODI to make a statement that he is India’s first choice opener ahead of the others. Apart from Dhawan, India have three more openers in their ranks in the form of Murali Vijay who was brought in as replacement for an injured Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane who has made a telling impact while opening the batting. Dhawan has the backing of the team management but he needs to make sure that he backs it up with notable contributions. Consistent performance at the top could seal Dhawan a World Cup berth. England These are crucial times for England and Alastair Cook. The side has been dented after three losses in a row and Cook needs to lead by example to galvanise his troop towards victory. Cook is yet to score a half century this ODI series and has often played second fiddle to batting partner Alex Hales. In Tests, when their captain scored, England were a completely different side. The moment Cook started scoring; England began to perform better as a unit. The results in Tests are there to be seen but there has been a run draught for Cook in ODIs. It’s been two years and 38 innings since Cook scored a century in ODIs; those are appalling numbers for a captain of a side. Cook needs to fire for England and himself to succeed in limited overs. Stat Overview 1. Average first innings score at Leeds: Overall - 213 Since 2000- 235 2. Average second innings score at Leeds: Overall- 198 Since 2000- 229 3. Result summary at Leeds:

4. Head-to-head:

5. Last meeting between both sides at Leeds: Brief scores: September 2, 2007 – India 324/6, England 242/8. India won by 38 runs 6. Form guide (most recent listed first): India: Won, Won, Won, Abandoned, NR England: Lost, Lost, Lost, Abandoned, Lost 7. Pace vs Spin at Leeds (Who has been more effective) Since 2000

The Squads India: M.S. Dhoni (C & WK), Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ajinkya Rahane, Karn Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav. England: Alastair Cook (C), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Jos Buttler (WK), Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, , Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes