Time to showcase bench

As the final dress rehearsal before the World Cup begins today

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It is the final dress rehearsal before the World Cup, as India kickstarted their three-match ODI series against the formidable Australians at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali, on Friday.

Resting the best in business, it will be a testing time for the others and coach Rahul Dravid will have a final call in assessing the bench strength.

The men in the firing line will be Shreyas Iyer, who is fighting match fitness, and Suryakumar Yadav, who is desperately looking to get out of the shaky ODI campaign in recent times.

The two Mumbai batters - both very different players from each other – are fighting their own little battles to be a part of the most important tournament of their lives.

The Mumbaikar, Iyer, hasn't played much cricket in the last six months due to stress fracture surgery. A stiff back just before an Asia Cup match against Pakistan raised questions about his fitness.

As much as Ishan Kishan has done his bit, India will need the 28-year-old Iyer, the proverbial slayer of spin bowling in the middle overs, during the World Cup.

For Surya, he needs an uncluttered mind about what kind of role he is looking at in ODI cricket.