WC 2015: Here’s what MS Dhoni-led Team India need to do in the knockout stages
Mumbai: Coming into cricket’s grandest stage of them all – ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 – who would have even imagined Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Team India to win all their six league games and qualify for the knock-outs? Even the most optimistic person wouldn’t have foreseen India, who are now sitting very comfortable at the top of Pool B. Yes, they did face some hiccups against Zimbabwe. But Chennai Super Kings teammates Suresh Raina and ‘Captain Cool’, pitted as the best finishers in the game, ensured the side maintained its winning streak.
Check out: Points table and quarterfinal line-up
If the batsmen have done a great job in scripting India’s brilliant run, then credit should be given to the bowlers, who have cleaned up every opposition. Taking all 10 wickets in every game in the leagues is an outstanding achievement.
Team India pacer Mohammad Shami said he never felt any pressure playing at the international level as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni handled him well and made him comfortable. (Photo: AFP)
So far things have gone right for the Men in Blue, but Dhoni and company seriously need to make little adjustments (read: improvements) if they want to grab the coveted 11 kg gold trophy and be only the third nation after West Indies and Australia to defend the World Cup.
Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja’s form
Ravindra Jadeja’s form would surely be right on top for the Indian team management. Ravi Shastri and company have invested a lot of time on the all-rounder and retained him in the side despite suffering an injury during the build up to the main event. Jadeja, who does a good job complimenting Ravichandran Ashwin has been bowling flat off late and in the last match against Zimbabwe, Brendan Taylor was merciless on him taking 25 off one over.
(Photo: AP)
However, the slow left-armer did perform comparatively well against Pakistan (1/56) and South Africa (1/37), and his story with the bat doesn’t seem to be bright. Jadeja hasn’t managed to strike the ball and his scores in the World Cup tells the truth, his highest being only 13 against the West Indies.
Another important cog in the wheel is Rohit Sharma. He has got the starts that he wanted but hasn’t been able to convert them. Not that he’s struggled, but all that he has to show in the ongoing tournament are the two half-centuries against non-Test playing nations Ireland and UAE.
(Photo: AP)
Skipper Dhoni however, has defended Jadeja and Sharma. Dhoni was quoted saying even Ashwin went for runs as a counter argument to Jadeja being a better bet than Stuart Binny, whose performance in the warm-ups was encouraging. As far as Rohit is concerned Dhoni seems to be happy with just his starts. Dhoni feels that the way he plays his shots and his brilliant starts are a key factor in the game. Will just the starts be important when Team India face the ‘bigger boys’?
Finishing at the end
Team India seem to be relying heavily on the starts from their openers and don’t capitalise on them during the business end when big shots should be evident, but on the contrary what one sees are a flurry of wickets. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli have set up games against Pakistan and South Africa. Raina and Ajinkya Rahane have also contributed a vital, accelerating the attack. But what remains now to sort out for Team India is the finishing in the last five overs.
(Photo: AP)
Against Pakistan, India were 273 for 2 going into the final five and they managed another 27 for 5. Against South Africa too, India were 271 for 4 into the final five. They managed another 36 for 3, not as bad as the Pakistan finish but not too good either. Against UAE, their chase was completed in 18.5 overs, just enough time for only the top order to have a hit. Then against Ireland, Dhawan’s ton sealed the chase whilst the match against Zimbabwe saw Dhoni and Raina save a major embarrassment.
If India have to rely on the good starts they get, then a ‘finishing-with-a-bang’ is a must specially after the end of the game one realises that an extra 20-odd runs would have helped if the game didn’t go in their favour.
India are up against Bangladesh in their first quarterfinal on March 19 at Melbourne and man-to-man, Team India look to be the better side. India have beaten Bangladesh 24 times in 28 ODIs but on the other hand don’t count Bangladesh out as they have just mauled England.
If India does get into the semifinal overcoming Bangladesh, there is a possibility of them meeting arch-rivals Pakistan provided they beat Australia. Another ‘mauka mauka’ advertisement on the cards?
