Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003
Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003 |
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Cricket
By S. Dinakar
With two successive defeats in the ongoing TVS ODI tri-series, the Indians have run into a roadblock of sorts. They now have to carve out a path of their own to the summit clash. The great Indian road show, that these limited-overs tournaments spread across the length and breadth of the country definitely are, has reached a critical point. By denying Australia a bonus point by a run in Guwahati, New Zealand has 10 from five, and India nine from four. This means the Indians may have to take at least a point out of Wednesday's day-night clash against the Aussies, who, with 23 points, have already booked themselves a ticket to the Eden Gardens. It promises to be a last gasp finish for the second and third slots. Wright believes the Indians can regroup, but then the fact that the side is still in search of the right balance suggests that answers to some vexing problems have not been forthcoming. On the question of a specialist wicketkeeper, India went a full circle at Cuttack after the rather bold pronouncements before the competition opener in Chennai that only a specialist would don the big gloves. At Cuttack, we were back to the spectacle of watching Dravid performing a role in which, to put it politely, he is not entirely comfortable. Wright was realistic, "in the long-term someone who is the best 'keeper and can also bat would serve the side better. Keeping is a tough job in India, the bounce is low and the ball turns. A 'keeper has to have a liking for the job." When Wright dwelt on the seven-batsmen formula proving a winning method for India in the season gone by, we were back to square one. While stressing on `balance' the coach said India's rivals in the series, Australia and New Zealand were fine examples in this regard. The indications were that in Wednesday's day-night game against the Aussies here, the Indians would field that extra batsman. On the other hand, with left-arm paceman Aashish Nehra fit and ready for a fling, the coach conceded that the side faced a situation where the pace bowling department might have to be bolstered. We have an extremely interesting selection ahead of us on Wednesday. On the positive side, skipper Sourav Ganguly, such an influential cricketer in limited-overs matches, had a lengthy workout under sunshine and should bolster the batting, unless as Wright added on a cautionary note, he suffers a reaction. Virender Sehwag is recovering well from an ankle injury, while paceman Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh are at varying stages of treatment and recovery from viral infections. The resumption of cricketing ties between India and Pakistan, with the Test and the ODI series scheduled in Pakistan from March next year, also attracted the coach's attention. "We have the series against Australia in Australia before that and the Aussies are the World champions in both forms of the game. If we do well there, we will travel to Pakistan with our spirits and confidence high. These are two tough, challenging series." The high-voltage World Cup clash between India and Pakistan at the Centurion had given Wright a taste of this rather fierce rivalry. But then, first things first! There is Australia to be overcome on Wednesday and then arrives the battle of `life and death' at Hyderabad. Wright realises this is a perform-or-perish situation.
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