The Hindu : Sport : India lacked consistency

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 19, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

India lacked consistency

S. Dinakar

MUMBAI: Cricket is a lot about timing. It’s not just about meeting the ball with the sweet portion of the willow but timing performances.

It got its timing wrong in the Future Cup series. When it mattered, the side succumbed to the pressure in Vadodara and was found wanting in end-game skills in Nagpur.

India deserves credit for winning two matches against Australia, but one of these victories arrived after the series had been decided.

India’s cricket was spasmodic in nature; the side lacked consistent intensity that makes champions.

India allowed the moments to fly away. Dropped catches hurt the host, so did some ordinary shot-making and predictable bowling.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has realised captaincy is not pure impulse. He is settling down and he rightly set attacking fields for Murali Kartik as a skipper. However, he still has a tendency to ring in too many changes. Taking a bowler off soon after he is punished can result in conceding the psychological point to the opposition.

At the Wankhede Stadium, old failings returned to haunt the Indian top and middle order before the lower order settled the issue. This does not excuse the specialist Indian batsmen, save Robin Uthappa. The tendency to play away from the body can be fatal on a seaming track.

That India wriggled its way back in the seventh ODI was as much about the determination of the lower order batsman as the Kookaburra ball losing its sting after the initial overs. This is particularly true on the harder sub-continental grounds. In such a scenario, a side in pursuit of a total less than 200 is always in with a chance; a couple of middle-level partnerships could see a team home.

With challenging assignments ahead, India has to get the pivotal No. 3 slot sorted out. Sadly, there have been too many faces walking in at the fall of the first wicket for India.

Dravid the best

Rahul Dravid is still India’s best batsman at No.3 and the chances are that he would occupy this position in the one-day series against Pakistan and the triangular series in Australia. Yuvraj Singh’s limitations in footwork do not work in his favour if the ball darts around early. There were a few gains for India. Kartik’s outstanding spell of bowling on Wednesday augurs well for the future. As a specialist left-arm spinner, Kartik brings much variety to the attack.

On a turning wicket, a left-arm spinner is perhaps the hardest bowler to handle for a right-hander. This is particularly true for someone like Kartik, who can both turn the ball away and send down the arm-ball.

Kartik does give the ball a rip and can contain and strike in the middle-overs. In a journey dotted with injuries, shabby treatment by the wise men and the odd temperamental flare-up, Kartik is back on the road.

Uthappa was another positive for India. The natural stroke-maker has tightened his game. He is coping well with stressful situations, is batting with flair and solidity. Uthappa’s straight-hitting has been laudable.

In bowling, Irfan Pathan, another man coming back, was steady. The time has come for India to prepare specialist death bowlers. Pacemen with swing, consistent full length and change of pace should be encouraged. The scorching yorkers have been missing.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail