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Saturday, 3 September 2011

Indian Cricket : Dhoni must bat higher up in the order

You may call this an irony but Indian cricket has reached its peak as well as its worst during the last 6 months, something they have never experienced in the last 2 decades.  Winning the ICC World Cup has been a dream run for Indian cricket and its billions of spectators, but a 0-4 whitewash against a good English side has been equally demoralizing and devastating.  While many things are being spoken about and reported in media, but as a true fan I always want my Team India to succeed and win.  I watch every match with enthusiasm and renewed hope that things will turn around and the disappointment actually intensifies when you see them losing, and losing making the same mistakes over and over again.  

Talk about Injuries - a professional sportsman can get injured, but aren't we carrying the baggage too much ? Can't we have a team of fit 15-16 people ? why does it always happen that we end up with 12 or 13 to pick from ? I don't believe players fake injuries, it's the administration and the coaching staff who are negligent - either over-looking or not able to bring in the right discipline. During the recent England series, so many players got injured while fielding - are we not agile enough to field in these close-in positions ? Is there a lack of technique (it is also a key in fielding) ? I have never been a big fan of Duncan Fletcher, English cricket emerged once Andy Flower took over.  I feel we took a backstep by bringing in Duncan Fletcher, after Gary Kirsten. Perhaps a fitter, leaner, recently-retired cricketer should have been a better choice with this bunch of youngsters. May be Anil Kumble, or the likes of Michael Bevan, Steve Waugh (not sure who the right choice will be, but someone from just one generation ahead).  And finally, I must say (despite being a huge, huge fan of MS Dhoni) that it baffles me to see him batting so low down the order.  He is the most calm, composed player in the India's Next Gen team, and he has the charisma to deliver from the front.  The type of bold move he showed by promoting him up in the order during the WC final (and what a gem of an innings that was !!!) was completely lacking in England.  Yet MSD is our only hope to revive the current situation.  Perhaps I am biased, but Tendulkars and Dravids have to go one day and there cannot be a better leader than Dhoni to mould this current bunch.  As always optimistic I sincerely hope India will perform better in the One Dayers !!!

Ajinkaya Rahane impressed me during the T20 game,  Rohit Sharma needs to learn fast that he needs to contribute when it matters most, else the investment must shift on another promising cricketer.  Rohit has failed to live upto his expectations, and time has come to either perform or perish.  Would have liked to see Varun Aaron instead of Vinay Kumar in Indian line-up. 

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