Many would feel India are the better side going into this seven match ODI series. For they have just completed the small matter of defeating England in the test series. But for some, England are the favourites going into the first match at the rose bowl today. However the truth is, the two teams could not be closer.
Blame it on Rahul Dravid if you want or the Indian think tank or who ever took that decision of not enforcing the follow-on. When they had England on the run, they allowed them to come back and draw the test match. Had the follow on been enforced and England batted out of their skin, they might still have saved the test match, but the psychological edge would still have been with the Indians. However, forget psychology, Dravid’s men seem to have lost even the remotest of respect they enjoyed amongst their rivals, as they doubted their ability to bat last on a fifth day pitch.
For Michael Vaughan couldn’t have been happier losing 1-0 in the tests rather than 2-0. He now hands over the reins to Paul Collingwood having made sure that the Indian batsmen are circumspect after their second innings at the oval. The fact that England are bolstered by Andrew Flintoff’s return isn’t a small one. He has the capability to change the match in a wink and the last time India visited, it was quite hard for him watching Ganguly twirling his shirt on the Lord’s balcony. So he might be in it just for the redemption part of it. Nevertheless, one can never underestimate his importance even though he hasn’t played international cricket for some time now.
The Indian think tank wouldn’t have taken this threat lightly. Flintoff is a bit circumspect against spin, so one would expect Piyush Chawla bowling to him in the middle overs or whenever he comes out to bat. Or for that matter, Romesh Pawar. But it is the fast bowlers India should be worried about. Zaheer and Agarkar are assured of starting the match even though they were wayward in the build-up matches but the toss-up will be between Munaf & RP Singh. Dravid would like to play Munaf as he controls the ball well, compared to the sprayer that RP is, but the latter’s good performance in the tests should hold him his spot in the final eleven.
But it’s not the Indian bowling that ever is the centre of attraction. It is the batting and here again the same thing is evident. The team has two young openers in Gambhir and Uthappa but they won’t be opening. First of all only one might play and that is likely to be Gambhir, and second he might not open. Because also in the team are two stalwarts of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly and they will be reuniting at the top. One is again tempted to ask, why? Why can’t they lend stability to the middle order, if not both, atleast one? Either of them could easily bat at number 3 and that’s how it should be.
Yuvraj would then come in at number 4 as it is high time we see him play on this tour and of course he has to be the focal point of the rebuilding process, as this is where it really starts. With Dravid and Karthik to follow, the last fireworks can be provided by Dhoni. That settles the side then, but again will the seniors heed to this line-up? England, in turn, will be weakened by the absence of Ryan Sidebotton, who is still struggling with that side strain suffered in the third test and that will be a big blow as the left-arm seamer troubled the Indian batsmen to no end. It will be a relief for the Indian openers as they will for once, look to attack from the onset.
For both teams, it was a disastrous world cup. More so for India. England won against Australia before that and India at home. But both are not countable now as a new process begins. They won after the world cup against Bangladesh and West Indies, but again, they hardly count as proper oppositions but a match practice. So much, therefore, hinges on this series, probably the rest of the season. And we are just at the beginning of it.
Considering the aggression on display in the tests, expect nothing but a cracker of a series.
Via: BBC Sports
Via: BBC Sports
