India just finished a short tour of Zimbabwe. Oh believe me. It happened. India did tour Zimbabwe for a short ODI series. I know some would have missed the series because it is hardly worth a mention because of the non-stop cricket being played everywhere. Be that as it may, India won the series quite convincingly with their second string team. This is an evaluation of India after the Zimbabwe tour.
I am supporter of this second string team touring countries like Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, Ireland and Netherlands. I do believe that this must happen quite frequently. Infact, a parallel team will do the main team more good than harm. It not only gives the fringe players must needed exposure and keeps them match-fit but they can be called at anytime whenever a vacancy arises in the primary team and they will be able to make an impact straightaway.
Having said that, let me look at some of the positives for India during the series.
Yes, the series was against Zimbabwe who are the bottom most ranked team but nevertheless, runs, wickets, catches do count. Any performance against an international team is bound to increase the confidence of the players involved.
One such player is Shubnam Gill
He is an exceptionally talented cricketer and that everyone knows. The second innings 91 at the Gabba that eventually helped India to win the series will be etched on the minds of every Indian fan forever. For some reason, he didn’t go onto achieve many more laurels as was expected. He kept faltering along the wayside. His first international hundred took forever. He remained not out 2 runs short of his hundred against West Indies. All of that evaporated in the final game where his innings did not mirror the struggle of the rest of the batsmen. He propelled the Indian total towards 300 which if not for his contribution would have been around 240.
It is clear that Gill is here to stay as not only a backup opener but a genuine middle order batsman. In ODIs, the top 4 is already taken but the number 5 position can come down to a tussle between Gill and Rahul. Ofcourse, Rahul will edge him on the basis of experience and on the basis of being the defacto captain but India will have an excellent reserve batsman. If he keeps up with this consistency, he will definitely be among the squad during the ODI World Cup next year.
What is Shikhar Dhawan doing?
Rohit & Dravid are on record stating that they want to change the way the Indians approach batting at the top of the order. They want to be aggressive and make the most out of the powerplay. Unlike the recent past when they used to bat in the 90s mode, things were finally beginning to get better. However, Dhawan would have none of it. In the series against West Indies and here against Zimbabwe, he prodded along at a strike rate less than 90. This is a far cry from the way the team management’s approach.
He is already 36. Though he average over the last couple of years and his career average in ODIs remain solid, it is his strike rate that is a cause for concern. The ODI World Cup will be played in India where the pitches are expected to be full or runs. Dhawan who is expected to start the World Cup, will have to change his attitude towards scoring runs quickly. With Gill waiting, Dhawan’s task is cut-out. He must score quickly to remain in the squad.
Rahul is struggling and it is as clear as day
Agreed that Rahul is back in the team after an injury forced layoff but it is not now that he is finding it difficult to score while opening. This has happened in the past too. I have often said that his place is not at the top of the order. At number 5 or even 6, he can unleash the beast within but at the top, he becomes a pussy cat. Added to that, his captaincy too did not inspire any confidence whatsoever. Some of his bowling changes were puzzling. He is lucky that the opponents was only Zimbabwe. With 4 consecutive defeats against South Africa last year, he is not the captain that India will want in the future. It is time the selectors looks elsewhere in the absence of Rohit.
The disappointing Prasidh Krishna
He is tall and he has got good pace and bounce. However, he goes for too many runs. When Bumrah & Shami returns, it is certain that Prasidh will not find a place in the team. The worry however is that, he is not making the job of the selectors or the team management tough. It is time he starts to make use of the opportunities that he is given.
Deepak Chahar fails to effect Mankad
Recently, the MCC normalised the Mankad law. It is now moved to the run-out section. This dismissal has always been frowned upon but has always been a legitimate mode of dismissal. I simply cannot understand why it must be frowned upon.
There have been controversies, quite famously the Ashwin – Buttler incident at the IPL but this sort of dismissal must become mainline. I believe that Chahar must have gone ahead and appealed. Batsmen all over the world are taking unfair advantage of the largesse of the bowlers. It is time this is changed. The game will be better off with less cheating. Just like a bowler scratches the ball to help reverse swing, a batsman takes a few paces to steal a run. Both are cheating.
Wrapping up evaluation of India after the Zimbabwe tour
Yes it was only Zimbabwe but any experience against an international team is a welcome. More so for the fringe players. One can only hope that the BCCI keeps up these tours and send the fringe players on atleast a couple of tours every year. It will allow many more players to achieve their dream of playing for the country.
Other topics related to BCCI