It proved to be a damp squib in the end but not before, the young Indian batsmen were exposed at the highest stage by a skillful and pacy Pakistan fast bowling attack. If only the game had been completed, Pakistan would have won quite comfortably because India does not possess the same quality of attack and Pakistan batsmen aren’t defeated in their mind. As an Indian fan, it was painful to watch the team struggle despite knowing what the Pakistan bowlers bring to the game. Also, the future of Indian cricket, certainly looks quite bleak. The India vs Pakistan encounter.
Indians were defeated before the first delivery
Right from the outset, the Indian batsmen were tentative. They were defeated even before the game began because they were unsure of how to play against the likes of Afridi, Haseem Shah & Harris Rauf. The Indians know pretty well the pace at which these bowlers bowl and also their skill level. Ofcourse, Indians have not batted against these bowlers quite frequently but the technological advancement is such that every bowler can be dissected sitting in the drawing room. It is not that these bowlers are new to the Indians because they have played the same bowlers over the last couple of years.
Yet, some sort of trepidation sets in the moment they walk into the park. It could be the pressure of playing Pakistan but this is very much expected. This is what you play the game for. At the highest level, the players must learn to handle the pressure. This is exactly what the fans support the team for. I know it is easier said than done but if I were in the middle, the same sort of handling the pressure applies to me as well.
Gill continues to disappoint
There was never any intent to score runs. Shubman Gill, the so-called Prince, was found wanting against quality bowlers. Not so long ago, he scored a double hundred and followed it up with runs, albeit on flat pitches in the IPL. Much was expected from his blade. Companies have started to stand in the queue for him to endorse their products. He is seen in advertisements more and more. That is exactly the problem in this country. Hero worship. Gautham Gambhir was correct. This country must shift from worshipping selected men or women to focusing on the team. Ofcourse, it does not matter in individual events.
Gill has been given multiple chances across formats. He had the golden opportunity of playing in two back-to-back WTC finals. What did he do? He failed to score even a single 50 in 4 innings. It perhaps is time for Gill to be sidelined for sometime. Ever since he improved his T20 performance, in IPL, drastically, I keep wondering whether he has lost his game in trying to suit his game for the shortest format.
Ishan Kishan grabbed his chance
Ishan Kishan announced himself at the highest stage. His 80+ was invaluable. Without his runs, India would have ended up with a score and rain would not even have mattered. If Rahul had been fit, Ishan would not have been part of the eleven. Now, he cannot be dropped. It will be interesting to see whether the management will have the nerve to drop Gill. The problem is that, if Ishan plays Rahul will probably open the innings because Ishan will have to keep wickets. This is not a scenario that anyone wants. Rahul is clueless whenever he opens in any format. Probably, Ishan will open with Rahul in the middle-order and maybe he will keep.
Shreyas Iyer and short ball
Shreyas continues to disappoint against bouncers. It has been quite awhile since he made his debut but no effort has been made to get around that problem. Against an attack like Pakistan, he is virtually a sitting duck. He again got out to a short ball that went way above his head. The bowlers around the world are well aware of this shortcoming. He will get away with some of the lesser teams but against top teams, he will find the going to be tough.
The lower order
Just went India was thinking of a score close to 300, there was a collapse. The familiar tailender’s inability to bat came to the fore. This despite the fact that Shardul Thakur was one among them. Shardul must realise that he cannot be part of white-ball cricket unless he contributes with the bat. His bowling alone is not at all enough.
Wrapping up the India vs Pakistan encounter
Leave alone the fact that there is a question mark on the young Indian batsmen, overall, India does not look like proceeding beyond the semi-final in the ODI World Cup. Even to reach that stage, India will count itself lucky. With this batting, with this bowling, it will be a miracle if India manages to win any ICC tournament over the next several years.