The Hindu : Sport : Complacency could cost India dear

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport

Complacency could cost India dear

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

England needs to buck up fast to make it a competitive series

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

EPITOMISING THE SPIRIT: The fielding — an index of a team in sync — has been good in the two matches so far, with Suresh Raina’s athletic effort to run out Ian Bell at Indore being the pick.

Kanpur: As the hitherto one-dimensional limited-overs series wends its way along the Gangetic plains and reaches Kanpur ahead of Thursday’s match, M.S. Dhoni’s men seem to hold an edge. Yuvraj Singh’s hundreds crafted upon contrasting platforms at Rajkot and Indore may have been the common denominator but the others too have chipped in and the key-factor may lie in what Dhoni said the other day.

“The players enjoy each other’s success and even if a batsman hasn’t scored much, he would not slacken and would keep plunging at the ball on the field,” the Indian captain said.

The fielding — an index of a team in sync — has been good in the two matches so far with Suresh Raina’s athletic effort to run out Ian Bell at Indore being the pick. “A player’s commitment to his team is reflected in the way he fields because in the end there are no statistical points awarded for runs saved,” Jonty Rhodes had said a few years ago. The Indian fielding has so far cut an efficient picture without being athletic or flamboyant.

Milestones on the field have also been effusively applauded as a sense of camaraderie is visible within the ranks. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir’s symmetry atop the order, Yuvraj’s blazing return to form along with Zaheer Khan’s and Munaf Patel’s efficient spells have helped the team cruise smoothly and gloss over a few inadequacies like R.P. Singh’s lack of rhythm or the young middle-order’s delay in expressing itself.

No open acrimony

Another factor that may have helped the Indians to just focus on the game could be the absence of a needless exchange of sharp words between the teams across the media space. It was a malady that had afflicted the series against Ricky Ponting’s men and continues to linger, with comments trickling in from Australia.

It might be early days yet, but the current series has been remarkable for its lack of peripheral drama. England also deserves credit as Kevin Pietersen has led by example, applauding Yuvraj’s centuries, praising Dhoni’s captaincy and presenting a calm demeanour at press conferences.

His “cheers, mate” after the press conference close on the heels of the Indore debacle might have sounded a bit tired but he has adhered to the niceties.

At Indore, when Yusuf Pathan scrambled for a run and accidentally collided with Stuart Broad, the two never pointed an accusing finger at each other. Similarly, when Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Flintoff were placed in duels between the bat and the ball, a sense of mutual respect was evident despite the competitive zeal. It could be critical for both teams as both Harbhajan and Flintoff, at times, can let their emotions rule.

Gracious in defeat

The England team management has also gamely admitted to the Indian team’s supremacy rather than point to lame-duck excuses like food poisoning or even pollution, which Ted Dexter, former England cricketer and the then chief selector, had cited during the series here in 1992.

Pietersen’s men have been plagued by their lack of ebullience on the field. There is a predictability about their methods, which can unravel in despair on Indian dust bowls. For instance, their batting still hinges on Pietersen’s ability to confound bowlers with his switch hits and reverse sweeps and Flintoff’s ability to clear long distances while the others are yet to find their feet.

Even Owais Shah, while scoring a compact 58 at Indore, often found the fielders rather than pierce the gap. The visitor needs to buck up fast while Dhoni’s men have to guard against complacency.

“It is something that we are aware of and we approach all games with the same intensity,” Dhoni said, as the series still awaits its edge-of-the-seat thriller.

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

Sport