India has got a really solid 1-2-3 combination, similar to Australia’s: Mathew Hayden

Matthew Hayden backs India's selection for Asia Cup, believes they are strong contenders for World Cup. He believes India has a solid 1-2-3 combination and can fill middle order spots with talented young players. He believes ODI cricket is unique, requiring fitness and running, which favours sides that focus on fitness.

Despite the injury-prone middle-order, Matthew Hayden, the two-time World Cup champion, has backed India’s selection for the Asia Cup and has billed it a strong contender for the World Cup.

“In the lead up to World Cups you are always going to have some trial players and we have seen the class of Tilak Varma. I think it’s a good strategy in terms of not just this World Cup but even potentially getting into the next World Cup (cycle) as well,” Hayden said here on Monday, on the sidelines of the Ceat Cricket Rating awards.

“The great thing about Team India is it’s got a really solid 1-2-3 combination. Similar to Australia, actually. When you look at their last four or five months, they have had a really good, strong, what we like to call the engine room. And then they have got some good problems to solve through the middle order. And if they can fill spots with a few talented young players like Tilak, put pressure on someone like Suryakumar Yadav, I think that’s a good strategy. Keep everyone honest in the side and performing, so not a bad move. I think it’s a great side.”

All of Hayden’s 22 World Cup appearances resulted in Australia winning each one of these affairs. However, with the cricket ecosystem having changed a great deal over the last decade with the evolution of T20 cricket, a World Cup preparation is all but a distant dream for most sides.

Hayden, though, insisted that the importance of the ODI World Cup will continue to prevail.

“The way the players, in particular England, are playing their Test match cricket, will tend to suit their one-day cricket and T20 cricket. Whereas they used to be very separate, I feel now that they are actually getting much closer in the way that players are delivering each one of the games,” Hayden said.

“One-day cricket is still a unique property because it goes through phases of play where it’s not just about fours and sixes. It’s about fitness and running. That’s in the field and also with the bat, which favours sides that really focus heavily on their fitness,” Hayden said.