A fter the T20 match against Australia, there is so much for the team management to worry about. That’s what a loss does to a team, more so if it is India. Everyone wants immediate solutions. Why did India lose the first game of a long tour? Experts are quick to point out that bowlers did not do a great job on a bowl-first wicket. Bowling changes were questionable and catching was poor.
Some suggest Khaleel Ahmed be axed not only for erratic bowling, but for dropping a simple catch. He should make way for a spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal and not Umesh Yadav. Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey will have to wait for a second failure of KL Rahul.Coming to batting, it is said Virat Kohli should have batted No 3. Rishabh Pant’s inexperience showed up at a crucial juncture. Hardik Pandya’s absence has upset the balance of the side as his brother Krunal is not the right choice.
They did not add Rohit Sharma’s failure as the main cause for the defeat. In overseas conditions, losing the first match will put extra pressure. The next one is in Melbourne and the scaremongers are wondering how will the Indians man such a vast outfield?One can go on and on. But what could have the Indians done? The margin of loss is such any analysis will defy logic if one flips the argument. Four runs are not even one full hit, considering the number of matches teams win in global leagues with a last-ball six!
Kohli knew what a big hitter Rahul is and he is right in sending him at No 3 to force the pace just as he does in the IPL. Rahul got out just when he looked like settling down. It is not easy for any batsman to go out to the middle seeing Rohit returning so early. Here, perhaps, Kohli could have done better going out and putting pressure on the Australians.
Khaleel had a bad game and for all his talent should he be shown the door after one match? He deserves another game unless the pitch suggests they can afford a third spinner. Realistically, India can still play with five bowlers whichever combination they prefer as Bhuvneshwar Kumar is good enough to bat at No 7. In a T20 game if the top six can’t win matches, then you don’t win at all even if you play with seven batters.
Ravi Shastri was bang on when he said it was the quality of cricket that will decide the series rather than the tempers and sledging. One could see the bonhomie after the match as most of them are teammates in the IPL.Yes, once you do your job, people are willing to take you seriously and listen to you even if you stare at someone occasionally. Your arrogance comes from your on-field showing, sometimes it manifests in sledging or at times in a much worse way inviting the match referee’s wrath.
Ravi was repeating what his captain Kohli said back home before leaving for Australia, that he believes in his ability to perform without psyching himself up with a war cry.India have the best chance to change the tag that they are poor travellers. Shastri tried to defend his side asking which team is travelling well these days. He spoke on a day when England won the series in Sri Lanka. Also, New Zealand produced a near-miracle to win a Test against Pakistan that looked beyond them.Cricket has a way of mocking at you.
(The writer is a veteran commentator and the views expressed are personal. He can be reached at sveturi@gmail.com)