“Big names but fitness,” ex-Pakistani feels Babar Azam and Co. will be the stronger than Indian side due to fitness reasons

Aaqib Javed feels fitness and form can hinder India's smooth run in the prestigious tournament.

“Big names but fitness,” ex-Pakistani feels Babar Azam and Co. will be the stronger than Indian side due to fitness reasons

Team India (Image via Hindustan Times)

The upcoming ODI World Cup will be played in India in October and November. Rohit Sharma and Co. will be the favorite this time, the reason being immense crowd support. But many Indian fans are not convinced that India will be able to pull off the victory in the knockout stages let alone emerge victorious in the final. 

India have to focus a great deal on many aspects to enter the World Cup as a strong team. And former Pakistani pacer Aaqib Javed feels fitness and form can hinder India’s smooth run in the prestigious tournament. India will play Babar Azam and Company on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and Javed feels among the two teams, Pakistan have more chance to win.

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“I think the Pakistan side is balanced and the age graph of players is much better. India are on that stage where they have big names but their fitness and form is not up to the mark,” Javed was quoted as saying by Cricwick.

He added that Indian players will struggle and will look for new players to form a combination which is why, he opined that Pakistan have more chance of beating the Men in Blue. Even before the World Cup, the two teams will lock horns in the forthcoming 2023 Asia Cup.

Related: “World Cup wins don’t come on platter,” Rohit Sharma accepts Team India is desperate to win ODI World Cup

Are Indian players really struggling with fitness issues?

"Big names but fitness," ex-Pakistani feels Babar Azam and Co. will be the stronger than Indian side due to fitness reasons
Team India (Image via Hindustan Times)

It’s worth telling that some star Indian players are indeed dealing with fitness issues. Rishabh Pant is recuperating from injuries post a car crash last December. Shreyas Iyer is suffering from back issues, and KL Rahul may make himself available for selection as he has shown signs of a comeback. Jasprit Bumrah will test his fitness while leading Team India in the Ireland T20I series.

Coming to players’ form, India captain Rohit Sharma continues to search for his lost form. Though he played decent innings against West Indies in Tests, his batting numbers this year are not up to the mark. Virat Kohli will be under scanner in the Asia Cup because even he struggles to score runs consistently. 

The middle order is not yet sorted and the search for a No.4 batter still continues. Suryakumar Yadav, who usually comes to bat at No.4 in recent times, produced unwanted records in ODIs. Will India really succumb in the ODI World Cup again then?

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