One more ICC tournament, one more loss. It has been more than 10 years and close to 10 tournaments since India have won an ICC global tournament. The team that went to Australia, did not contain batsmen who can score quickly. Did not contain bowlers who can take wickets or contain runs. Did not contain fielders who can field. It is no wonder that the team crashed out of the tournament so miserably. Absolutely hammered by England in the semi-final, this Indian team is an embarrassment. Against expectations, we were never among the favourites. It showed clearly in the end.
India were the only side to have won 4 games in the league phase amongst both the groups. It denotes a team who were dominant during the league phase. Looking closely, we can clearly see that it was sheer luck and not because of any ability. If not for a freak Kohli innings, India would have lost to Pakistan. Later, they lost to South Africa. Bangladesh ran them really close. It is only against the minnows, Netherlands and Zimbabwe, they flexed their muscles. Muscles that they never had in the first place. This team is clearly a over-hyped one. So many players are not fit to play T20.
The horrible starts
I have often said this. Rahul is not an opener but a lower order hitter. I have to revise my opinion of him after watching the tournament. He is not an international cricketer. He can play in the IPL and for Karnataka. Nothing more. He is an absolute mug with the bat at the highest level. With this fellow opening with another basically blocker, everytime India is short by 20-25 runs in the powerplay. Other teams are trying to score in excess of 60 and make full use of the restrictions but India is the only team that still is in the 80s & 90s. Right after the last T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma and Dravid kept on talking about intent. Intent to bat positively and intent to score quickly.
Where was that intent when it mattered the most? Why did they go back to play defensive cricket during the World Cup? Does it mean that all the chances before the World Cup was wasted? There are so many questions about the tactics that was adopted before the World Cup and during the World Cup. It is clear that there was no planning upto the World Cup. If there was one, it was convoluted.
The slowest team
India was the slowest team in the powerplay in the World Cup among the major nations. During the World Cup, India’s average runrate during the powerplay was 6. JUST 6. ONLY 6. If a team fails to score, atleast 50 in the first 6 overs, it is difficult to get to 180 which is a score that most likely win games. On top of that, both Rohit and Rahul gets out having batted exceptionally poorly. Far too much is left to the middle order and lower middle order to score. In most cases, they are expected to triple the score. It simply is not possible to bat at 200+ strike rate by SKY and Pandya every single game.
Rohit’s post match statement
“I thought we still batted pretty well at the back end to get to that score, but we weren’t good enough with the ball,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation. “It was definitely not a wicket where a team could come and chase down [that target] in 16-17 overs. But yeah, these things happen. Like I said, with the ball we just didn’t turn up today.”
Seriously Rohit? You have conveniently shifted the blame onto the bowlers. Yes, they were atrocious but what about the horrible start? What about your failure throughout the tournament? Did you contribute anything meaningful? Why did you not drop Rahul despite multiple failures? Morning of the game, you did not know who the keeper will be. This statement of yours shows that you are not a leader. You do not deserve to be a leader.
KL Rahul the destroyer
Yes, he is a destroyer but for his own team. Time and again, he gets out early and after wasting quite a few deliveries. In important games, it is safe to assume that Rahul is undependable. Why then is he included in every game is beyond me? The sheer number of failures must ensure that he is shunted out of the team forever. On the otherhand, BCCI rewards absolute failures. He becomes the defacto captain whenever Rohit is unavailable. The destroyer of minnows and a rabbit against wonderful sides. It was painful to see the desperation for this mug with the bat to succeed. Far too many chances has he been given. Yet, he continues to letdown everyone and the nation. It is time this liability is sent off packing.
What is the point of taking Axar Patel and Hooda?
Axar Patel is thought to be a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja. Perhaps, bowling-wise, they maybe on par but Jadeja is a far better batsman and an extraordinary fielder. Two aspects that Axar can never really hope to achieve. On the big grounds of Australia, he was taken to the cleaners everytime he came onto bowl. He is more or less a free wicket when he comes to bat. Finger spinners have never succeeded in Australia with the honourable exception of Lyon. Even the great Muralitharan came a cropper on those Australian pitches. Leg spinners are preferred and yet, India did not go in with Chahal in a single game.
Another is Deepak Hooda. It is not known why was he in the team in the first place? There were much better cricketers in Prithvi Shaw, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan who could have made a difference. He was thought to be an allrounder but neither in the game against South Africa nor in the Asia Cup did Rohit trust him with a single over. In such a case, why would someone even select him for an all-important World Cup? That too, on the fast pitch of the tournament. Hooda was all at sea in that game. He maybe a good batsman against lesser bowlers but against excellent bowling sides, he will be a sitting duck.