One-day cricket not feeling the love

On Friday, Sri Lanka and Australia were locked in a one-sided ODI that wasn't part of the original tour itinerary. In Karachi the same day, Pakistan and New Zealand faced off in the final of a tri-nation series involving South Africa that was put together by PCB only towards the end of January. All in anticipation of the Champions Trophy, once billed as the mini World Cup. In another era, these last-minute marshalling of matches would have underscored ODI's robust health. Now, it only emphasizes the desperation to get in sync with a format that was once the lifeblood of the game.

- Somshuvra Laha

sed nattily in a land black tracks, got down from, walked towards his; the departure, loud calls of 'Rohit hit sir' by fans at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Stadium.

Squad members in the team bus included Gautam Gambhir, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and some fans by applauding or waving at them. Soon, the team took an afternoon flight to the upcoming Champions Trophy amid heightened expectations after winning the World Cup last June.

A team without their campaign manager-less India began their campaign on February 24 before the much-anticipated blockbuster against Pakistan on February 27, then the Men in Blue will round off their assignments against New Zealand on March 4.

The presence of the fans has been boosted by the recent 3-0 ODI series win at home over New Zealand. Those supporters in the Mumbai airport were hoping that the veterans, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will deliver another triumph like they did against West Indies last year.

Few months ago, Hardik Pandya had walked out with the T20 World Cup trophy hoisted on his shoulders to join a sea of passionate fans on the streets near the Wankhede Stadium for an open bus parade. If those scenes are to be repeated next month, then India will need some runs from Rohit and Kohli, who have copped heavy criticism after repeated failures in Test cricket. But they replied in kind, as Rohit made a characteristically fluent hundred - a 90-ball 119 in Cuttack ODI against England - and Kohli his 73rd fifty in Ahmedabad.

This might have brought them a temporary relief but a productive outing in the Champions Trophy is mandatory in the context of the duo's future. With the emphasis firmly on hitting the next WTC cycle, the Ajit Agarkar-chaired selection panel will closely observe how the two veterans fare in Dubai.