The Hindu : Sport : Opportunity to try out fresh faces

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Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007
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Sport

Opportunity to try out fresh faces

S. Dinakar

No experiments in Aussie line-up

India has been outplayed in the middle overs
Indian catching has been ordinary

— Photo: AP

ONEROUS TASK: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (left) and his deputy, Yuvraj Singh, will have to share the responsibility of making the Indian middle order click.

Mumbai: While the Future Cup series has been decided, every match against the World Champion represents a challenge in itself.

The seventh and final ODI at the Wankhede Stadium here on Wednesday is another platform for the Indians to learn from an opponent that plays its cricket at another level.

The day-night game will bring with it different dynamics, but the largely brown surface here should encourage the spinners.

Pacemen who can send down cutters could also be effective.

The match presents the Indians with an opportunity to try out a couple of fresh faces. Someone like S. Badrinath has worked hard to find a place in the squad.

Australia, as skipper Ricky Ponting revealed, will not experiment.

Matthew Hayden, recovering well from a hamstring strain, will replace Brad Haddin in the eleven if he passes a fitness test before the game.

A lot has been said about the mandatory ball change after the 35th over.

In sub-continental conditions, a harder ball does give the batsmen an advantage.

On this campaign, however, Australia is winning the contests in the middle overs.

Australia has played the overs between 20 and 35 so well that India has been unable to apply pressure.

In contrast, India has lost much ground in the middle overs. The host’s scoring patterns have been inconsistent with its batsmen pegged back by a mix of spin and pace.

In knots

Left-arm Chinaman bowler Brad Hogg has had the batsmen in knots, spinning the ball both ways, varying his pace and trajectory and using the width of the crease.

Medium pacer James Hopes has been a revelation, both, while operating at a reasonable pace or taking the pace off the ball.

In Nagpur, Symonds sent down a restrictive spell of off-spin.

While Mitchell Johnson has been sensational, Hogg and to a lesser extent Hopes have contributed immensely to the attack.

Brilliant fielding

In the Australian fielding, anticipation has been the key element.

The Aussie fielders, picking the batsman’s initial movement, move a split second before the ball is struck.

They gain a couple of yards, which could be the difference between the ball falling short and a brilliant catch made to appear easy. Brad Hodge’s effort in the outfield to dismiss Sourav Ganguly in Nagpur is a case in point.

The Indian cricket in this series has been spasmodic.

For instance, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly provided India quite the perfect start in Nagpur, only to find their side losing ground subsequently.

Tactical error

Even if the idea was to exploit the delayed third Power Play, India erred in sending in Irfan Pathan at No. 3. After such a beginning, a specialist batsman should have been given time and space to build and anchor the innings.

Spinners Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik have bowled well without luck.

Zaheer Khan and S. Sreesanth have been disappointing, both with the new ball and at the death.

Rudra Pratap Singh, the most improved Indian paceman, should be inducted in the eleven.

Then again, the bowlers require support from the fielders. The Indian catching has been ordinary. The parts are not in place yet.

The teams (from): India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), S. Tendulkar, S. Ganguly, R. Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, R. Uthappa, I.. Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, M. Kartik, R.P. Singh,, S. Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan, S. Badrinath, R. Sharma, D. Karthik.

Australia: R. Ponting (captain), A. Gilchrist, M. Hayden, M. Clarke, A. Symonds, B. Hodge, J. Hopes, B. Hogg, B. Lee, M. Johnson N. Bracken, B. Haddin, B. Hilfenhaus.

Umpires: Aleem Dar & A. Sahiba; Third umpire: Suresh Shastri; Match referee: Chris Broad:

Play starts at 2.30 p.m.

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