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A must-win game for the Indians

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Early sunset could mean D/L method may come into play

— Photo: S. Subramanium

Fun and play: Yuvraj Singh and M.S. Dhoni ride piggy-back on Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina as a relaxed atmosphere prevailed at the nets ahead of the crucial match.

Guwahati: Last November the Nehru Stadium here remained desolate as the sixth One-Day International between India and England was cancelled following the terror strikes in Mumbai. The Assam Cricket Association officials wrung their hands in dismay and the fans felt robbed of some top-flight cricket.

Thankfully, a year later the Indian team did touch down here for a much-awaited tussle and though the adulation from the fans has not dimmed at all, circumstances have changed. Against England, India was nursing a 5-0 lead when the series was truncated and Kevin Pietersen’s men left for London.

Cut to the present, India has to play well to prevent the Australians from running away with the series. Ricky Ponting’s men lead the seven-match Hero Honda Cup series 3-2 and the sixth ODI here on Sunday will test India’s ability to bounce back.

Early start

Early sunrise and an earlier sunset, a feature of North-East India, adds intrigue to a day game that will leave M.S. Dhoni and Ponting in a quandary at the toss. An 8.30 a.m. start with its hint of moisture will encourage seamers but the sun’s downward spiral from 4 p.m. might mean bad light and the Duckworth-Lewis chart stumping batsmen during the chase.

The pre-match training sessions here on Saturday was all about stretching limbs and gauging Sachin Tendulkar’s halo. Some members of the Australian team, that trooped in later, stood on the balcony and watched Tendulkar lapping up coach Gary Kirtsen’s throw-downs. Tendulkar’s 175 in Hyderabad on Thursday night has obviously left an indelible imprint and heightened the Aussies’ respect for him.

It was an optional net session for the Indians but the maestro was in no mood for rest.

He had a long stint and after that spent considerable time with leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who has warmed the benches right through the series.

Tendulkar’s century at Hyderabad may have failed to cast aside the shadow of defeat but it would have surely reiterated to his teammates an advertisement catch-line associated with him “impossible is nothing.”

India has to win back-to-back games to clinch the series and the team has to embrace the ‘sum-is-larger-than-the-parts’ theory.

Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and now Tendulkar have had their moments of dominance while Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina have scored two fifties each, but a collective effort from the batsmen is imperative. Sporadic brilliance has not helped India’s cause.

Virender Sehwag has to convert his swashbuckling cameos into longer tenures at the crease while Ravindra Jadeja has to justify his all-rounder tag. Ironically while Harbhajan Singh has slowly regained his confidence, the other bowlers have suddenly waned.

The fielding, except for one good day at Mohali, has been average.

The Australians have enjoyed some belated batting cohesion and the vital Shane Watson and young Shaun Marsh have found their feet again. All-rounder Watson’s return to form has augmented the visitor’s resources and as Michael Hussey said: “With Watson, you get two players for the price of one!”

Ponting has often said about his team having a ‘better all-round game’ and it is a truism that has helped the visitor get over player injuries and spring a surprise on Dhoni’s men.

The bowling may have got the stick in Hyderabad but the likes of Doug Bollinger and Clinton McKay have shown the ability to cope with the challenge.

The pitch may not favour a huge score and stress and scrutiny will trail the Indians and how they cope with it here on Sunday will determine their chances of staying alive in the series.

The teams (from):

India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar, A. Mishra and Sudeep Tyagi. Coach: Gary Kirsten.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Hussey (vice-captain), Cameron White, Shane Watson, Graham Manou (wicketkeeper), Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Jon Holland, Clinton McKay, Andrew McDonald and Burt Cockley. Coach: Tim Nielsen.

Umpires: Asoka de Silva and Shavir Tarapore. Third umpire: Sanjay Hazare.

Match referee: Chris Broad.

Match starts at 8.30 a.m.

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