The Hindu : Sport : Get the right man at the right slot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 13, 2006

Sport

Sport

Get the right man at the right slot

Good teams analyse themselves after a defeat, but great teams analyse themselves after a victory, writes Imran Khan

In my last column, I had mentioned that the Pakistan team had got away with poor strategy, poor shot selection and a chaotic batting order at Peshawar. Sadly for them, they repeated all three in Rawalpindi and were thrashed by the Indians. India had batted well in the first ODI, but their bowling let them down once again and the rub of the green went against them.

On Saturday, the bowling looked a lot better than it had in the last month, and they were also helped along by some poor shot selection.

If I were Inzamam, I would have spoken to Salman Butt about his dismissal. He was almost caught by the bowler off the first ball of the innings, but played an expansive shot against the swinging ball immediately.

That wicket pepped up Pathan and he got better as his spell progressed. He is looking in good rhythm now, and as expected, his fine batting form is making him a lot more relaxed.

Sreesanth, who has a good outswinger and handy pace, once again impressed me.

Sehwag in ominous form

When India batted, Virender Sehwag looked in ominous form, and his stroke play must have brought back unhappy memories of 2004 in the Pakistan camp. However, the man who really impressed me was Yuvraj Singh. He looked in complete command and was placing the ball at will. He looked superb at Peshawar, and continued his good form here. India's score of 328 was proof that the Pakistan team needed another fast bowler in place of Shoaib Akhtar, and I thought Mohammed Sami would have been an ideal replacement.

Poor strategy

The other mistake was not rectifying the batting order. Shoaib Malik can come up the order occasionally, but to keep him there was not very clever. Younis Khan came in when there was a crisis and he scored at the same rate as Malik, who is supposed to be a pinch-hitter. Which is why I ask, why not send Younis at one-drop?

It has been a very demoralising defeat for the Pakistanis, but hopefully it will be a wake-up call to the team. They need an attacking pace bowler in Shoaib's absence and they need to get the right batsman at the right slot if they are to win consistently.

Good teams analyse themselves after a defeat, but great teams analyse themselves after a victory. If Pakistan had analysed their gameplan after Peshawar, they may not have been thrashed at Rawalpindi. (Gameplan)

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