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India players turn pale on WI pitches

By: Dr Shanker Adawal, Sat Jun 10th, 2006 01:20:33 PM

Cricket is a great game of uncertainty. Before the one day series crazy Indian fans were thinking that India must win the one day series, the most important thing for them was that what would be the winning margin. Unfortunately throughout the series Indian players were looking lethargic and failed to cope with the young energetic West Indies team.

When Brian Lara took over the captaincy from Chanderpaul the cricket pundits were saying that no one can change the fortune of West Indies Cricket in near future. Charismatic Lara changed the scenario of the West Indies cricket the moment he took the charge. He had different ideas in his mind. In his captaincy productive results started coming.

West Indies outplayed Zimbabwe just before the India series. This series win by the Caribbean’s was the wake up call for the Indian team. When Indian team landed on the West Indies soil former great player Viv Richards had given an indication that this series would not be a cake walk for India.

Richards’s verdict was right and the overconfidence Indian team not only lost the series rather bites the dust. West Indies thrashed India in all departments of the game-batting, bowling and fielding. Sometime overconfidence cost the team dear. The same thing happened with the West Indies in the 1983 prudential world cup. That time mighty West Indies failed to chase the paltry target of 183 in the final against India.

Indian players are shouting about too much cricket. But other teams are playing in the same ratio. Unfortunately Indian players were looking lethargic and disjointed in the just concluded one day series against the Caribbean. It seemed players had lost the co-ordination, combination and the winning habits.

On the other hand rejuvenated West Indies side played like a unit. In spite of limited resources Lara’s team thrashed the favourit India 4-1. This series was a great debacle for the Indian cricket. Cricket is treated like religion in India. So crazy Indian fans watched the one day matches despite the odd timings. They got only disappointment and nothing else.

Once again bring back Gangully in the team could be heard from all corners. People are talking had Dada been in the team India’s performance could have been better. Chief selector Kiran More and Guru Graig are adamant not to allow Gangully to play for India again.

This time Chappel as a coach failed. His experiments did not click. Poster boys of Indian cricket Dhoni and Pathan were unsuccessful. They were promoted like the other series but did not click. Dhoni is known for his flashing batting but in all the five matches he was looking that he has forgotten his batting key in Ranchi his home town.

Dhoni is compared with Adam Gilchrst. But it is too early to keep Dhoni and Gilchrist in the same column. Dhoni could be devastating on his day; he is capable to demolish any attack. We should not forget that Gilchrist has proved himself on numerous occasions. Pathan is now tipped as an allrounder. He is a talented cricketer but it is too early to say that India have got the substitute of Kapil Dev.

Surprisingly Indian batsmen turned pale against the ordinary Caribbean spin attack. Gale, Samuels and Dave Mohammad had bogged down the Indian batsmen throughout the series. Muralidharan and Shane Warne the two leading spinners of the world could not stopped the Indian batsmen. Their bowling analysis is very ordinary against India. How these spinners checked the Indian batsmen in all the one days.

As a team India did not click in West Indies. Inconsistency of the batsmen, nagging line and length of the bowlers and sloppy fielding at the crucial time let the Indian team down in this series. Sehwag and Kaif are known for their inconsistency, but Mr. dependable Rahul Dravid’s batting was the big shock. Except hundred in the opening match he did not fulfill the expectations. Middle order batting was miserable so was the case with the lower order.

Credit must be given to Lara and his team the way they fought throughout the series. Sarwan and Gale were the two most consistent players of the series. Lara himself played two good knocks. Indian officials have to think seriously, because the next year world cup will be held in West Indies. This show is an alarm for the Indian team. As it is said wise are those who learn quickly from their early mistakes. This series loss may prove blessing in disguise for the India cricket.

Inclusion of too much youngsters have also created some problems. They have talent but they have to learn from their seniors how to cope with the pressure situations. Sachin was remembered when the team bite the dust in one day series.

Many experts had written him Endulkar. But a player of the caliber of Sachin was not born again and again. Despite his age he is still the jewel of the Indian cricket. Not only with his batting could even his cunning bowling change the match at any time from any position. Kumble has got the tag of test player. Why was he not in the team? He is a great bowler and genuine spinner. He should get chance in one day also. Indian team management has to thing seriously about the team selection in one day because less than a year is left for the world cup. The time of experiment is now over.

Now test series is starting. India have not win a test series in West Indies since 1971. Can Dravid become the second captain after Ajit Wadekar to win series in West Indies? It is needless to say that test cricket is a different ball game. With the inclusion of Kumble, Laxman and Jaffar the team has got a boost.

West Indies may upset the Indian planning. As far as the pace attack is concerned they are superior to India. But India have two quality spinners- Kumble and Harbhajan. Both the spinners would be India’s triumph card in the test series. In the one day series Indian pace battery performance except for Agarkar was below par. Unfortunately Agrakar was dropped from the test team.

Sreesanth and Patel are young and energetic but raw. Pathan’s decreasing speed is a worry for the team management. Indian pacers will play the supporting role spinners can only win test matches. India batsmen have to perform consistently to create the platform for the bowler to bowl them out twice in a test match.

The forthcoming test series between India and West Indies would be interesting. At present West Indies are on the seventh sky after their emphatic win over India in the one day series on the other hand the depleted Indian side has a golden opportunity to prove themselves that they are one of the best sides in the world.

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