India's performance: The post-mortem
Friday, May 14, 2010
12:19 AM
Labels: 2010 , 2010 India , 2010 World Cup , editorial , India , 0 comments
Indian team had done bad enough in first 2 Super8 matches to draw criticism from media back home. However, their performance against Lanka ensured that the daggers will not only be out but will seek blood of whomsoever is associated with Indian Cricket. Hundreds of discussions have been sparked by Indian overzealous media over India's exit. The final words on this are yet to be written as this will be the hottest topic to increase TRPs as Indians love cricket more than anything else.
Frankly, the 2007 champions did not look like, or play like, the world-beaters, and lost badly to Australia and the West Indies at Barbados, before losing to the Lankans off the last ball in a do-or-die match at St. Lucia. Here are seven of the most stated reasons that we have picked up:
The IPL effect: M.S. Dhoni had the guts and the plain-speaking-ability to state the facts as they stood at the post match conference after the loss to Sri Lanka. He blamed the IPL, not for the amount of cricket played, but for the post-match parties and the excessive travelling involved in the 45 day extravaganza, that left the players jaded and stale. All other teams played practice matches, while India rushed into their campaign with none.
Selection errors:Those who saw Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli and S. Badrinath bat during the IPL, would wonder why they were not picked for Team India. Uthappa in particular has the ability to take on pacy short pitched bowling and score at a rapid pace while doing so. With Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag not in the team, India needed Uthappa to bat up the order in the West Indies. Pragyan Ojha was the highest wicket taker in the IPL but was not on the flight with Team India either.
Waning form:Unfortunately for the team, two of its main batsmen, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh were woefully out of form. Yuvraj was unlucky to see one or two good hits go straight to the fielders on the boundary, but Gambhir looked totally out-of-sorts. Coupled with the disastrous performances of Murali Vijay and Yusuf Pathan, this meant that India’s batting firepower was greatly diminished.
No preparation:By not practising together as a team between matches since 'the players were tired' and by not sending an advance party of the coach and players who were free from the last stage of the IPL they had little time to acclimatise
The J factor:Ravinder Jadeja may be one of the most talented all-rounders in the country but he has been found wanting in the last two World Cups. Sent in at number three at Lords last year, he lost his team precious time by scoring at less than a run a ball. In the Caribbean he was woefully short on confidence and was hit for several sixes. He dropped crucial catches and once again scratched around with the bat. Also, his off-field antics resulting in one year ban from IPL also doesn't inspire great amount of confidence about his mental make-up.
Non-existent pace attack: India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan bowled well below his penetrative best and cost India extra runs. He went for over 40 runs in most matches. Ashish Nehra was more effective in the death overs but ploughed a lone furrow. Praveen Kumar bowled impressively in the only two matches that India won. His injury left the team without a genuine swing bowler who could make crucial early breakthroughs.
Short-pitch ball:The Indian team were unable to handle shot-pitch stuff from the quickies. India capitulated against fast bouncy deliveries and lost key wickets. They did not realise that with only two bouncers per over permitted they should have waited for length balls to hit.
The J factor:Ravinder Jadeja may be one of the most talented all-rounders in the country but he has been found wanting in the last two World Cups. Sent in at number three at Lords last year, he lost his team precious time by scoring at less than a run a ball. In the Caribbean he was woefully short on confidence and was hit for several sixes. He dropped crucial catches and once again scratched around with the bat. Also, his off-field antics resulting in one year ban from IPL also doesn't inspire great amount of confidence about his mental make-up.
Non-existent pace attack: India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan bowled well below his penetrative best and cost India extra runs. He went for over 40 runs in most matches. Ashish Nehra was more effective in the death overs but ploughed a lone furrow. Praveen Kumar bowled impressively in the only two matches that India won. His injury left the team without a genuine swing bowler who could make crucial early breakthroughs.
Short-pitch ball:The Indian team were unable to handle shot-pitch stuff from the quickies. India capitulated against fast bouncy deliveries and lost key wickets. They did not realise that with only two bouncers per over permitted they should have waited for length balls to hit.
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