India have their task cut out
Nairobi, Oct 6: The forthcoming encounter against Australia will be the big test for the Indians, slightly rusty from a layoff, but enthused by their fluent win over hosts Kenya.
A side more confident than India would have sent newcomer Yuveraj Singh in at the fall of Tendulkar’s wicket in the last match and given him valuable international exposure. While Kenya are a keen side, the baptism against them would have been less touched by fire than the youngster’s first innings against Australia is likely to be.
As is her wont, however, India chose to play safe. Rahul Dravid, one of the most admirable cricketers in the world, and a role model to every aspiring young cricketer both on and off the field, is nevertheless proving to be a dis-advertisment—to coin a phrase—for one-day cricket, especially the one-drop position. He brings a ponderous approach to his batting at that slot, as if he were Atlas carrying that huge burden of the whole planet on his shoulders.
What such an approach does is to put pressure on all the batsmen including its author, who has shown in the past what strokeplay and innovation he is capable of.
And while Dravid is a class player capable of shaking himself out of such a state of mind and playing winning cricket in the nick of time, as he did on October 4, the occasion could easily have been used to blood a young prospect. In the event, one more such opportunity was wasted.
So, India go into the Australia match heavily dependent as always on a flying start by Ganguly and Tendulkar. I am willing to bet my shirt that the famous Kambli touch will be found a trifle wanting on the big day, in contrast with the free and easy way he wielded his bat against friendly Kenya. Glenn McGrath & Co. will be a different cup of tea.
As for the bowling, it would be expecting too much of the team management to hope for the kind of adventurous spirit that will encourage the newcomer Zaheer Khan to bowl flat out and risk going for runs in the hunt for wickets. In our efforts to impart the wisdom of line and length, we often stifle and confuse our young quickies, who, to begin with, are hard to come by.
Don’t be surprised if India pull it off. They have done it often enough in the past against Australia, especially outside Australia. But without a spectacular display by Sachin Tendulkar, the form book suggests an Australian win.
