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Kolkata,Normally, MS Dhoni doesn’t make sweeping and pompous statements. In the run-up to the World T20, the Indian skipper, however, did make a few statements that seemed a little out of character, reeking of overconfidence, and maybe a bit of arrogance too.
During the Asia Cup, high on the team’s good run in the last few games, Dhoni said “this team can play in any condition; we can play with this team anywhere in the world.” Then, a few days ahead of the opener against New Zealand, the Indian skipper declared that “the team is in sixth gear”, implying the side was just perfect.
It took just one loss, against New Zealand in Nagpur, to expose the cracks that had been papered over by the recent run of the team in the T20Is. The defeat revealed India’s centre can’t hold up when the top three — Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli — fail simultaneously; and that the Indian batting isn’t half as good when the wicket is anything but flat.
Faltering middle
Every time the top-three has failed to click in the recent past – it has happened four times in the last 12 games – the middle order has steadfastly refused to rise to the challenge. Whenever the situation required Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh to build the innings, they failed. They have scored a few runs only when someone from the top-three was at the other end.
This over-reliance on the top-order could cost India dear, especially in their much-anticipated contest against Pakistan. The Shahid Afridi-led team boasts of one of the most lethal pace attacks in the tournament, and they are most likely to pick up early wickets with the new ball. In Asia Cup, too, comeback man Mohammed Amir came up with a brilliant spell with the new ball and reduced India to 8/3; it was Virat Kohli’s 49 that spared India the blushes and knock off the small 84-run target. In case India find themselves in a similar situation on Saturday — at, say, 20/3 — and Kohli gone too, the middle order, on recent evidence, will find it really difficult to drag the team out of the hole.
In Ajinkya Rahane, India have the batsman who could bail out India in such a scenario. The technically solid batsman, who can score at a fast clip, could be India’s go-to man in case the top three fails simultaneously. With the side packed with power-hitters, India could go for a bit of solidity, especially against a side with a strong pace attack.
Besides, Dhoni’s assertion that this team could take on any team in any condition, too, doesn’t sound credible after their loss to New Zealand. India lost nine wickets to the Kiwi spinners on a surface that offered some turn. Prior to that, the Indian batsmen were found out against the Lankan pacers on a pace-friendly track in Pune.
In short, India are still quite some distance away from hitting the sixth gear.
Lean in middle
The Indian middle order struggles when the top-three fail. Here are four instances over the last 12 T20Is:
vs South Africa at Cuttack
India lost the top three for just 43. The middle order (Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni and Axar Patel) could drag India to only 92.
Result: India lost
vs Sri Lanka at Pune
India slipped to 32/3 (Rahane played in place of Kohli). The middle and later order (Raina, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja) could take India to only 101.
Result: India lost
vs Pakistan at Mirpur
In a lightning spell, Mohammed Amir reduced India to 8/3. Fortunately, Kohli survived that spell and it was his 49 that helped India knock off the 84-run target.
Result: India won
vs New Zealand at Nagpur
Against the New Zealand spinners, India were down to 12/3 and then 39/5. Eventually, they were bowled out for just for 79, losing by 47.
