Yesterday I posted my views about the recent performance of the Indian Cricket team in ICC 20-20 on Facebook and immediately I received a lot of comments and counter-opinions. I do not think I will barge from my opinion that Dhoni should sacked from the Indian Captaincy, 20-20 form only. I am not a man without raison d'être and of course opinion, therefore, I will provide my reasoning.
Let me first start with the Indian squad for the match. Having lost to West Indies, in the first game of the Super-8, Dhoni knew very well the importance of the tie against England. Yet, he made the decision to drop Pragyan Ojha, the most successful Indian bowler in the ICC 20-20 for Ravindra Jadeja. The justification given at the post-match press conference was to strength the batting order. Jadeja got stuck like lame duck in front of the England pace barrage. He like, Gambhir, Raina and Rohit Sharma struggled against the short-pitched delivery. First to play a rookie in a crucial game is a gamble and second not to have a fall back strategy is utter idiocy. The Indian batting could not recover after the Jadeja’s shabby performance.
India chose to bowl first, therefore, let me begin with the bowlers’ performance, but, before I do that I have a question. Why was Ishant Sharma in the playing 11? I guess Dhoni will say to have a formidable pace attack. Ishant have been by far the worst bowler in the entire series. Any sensible captain would have thought twice to leave Irfan Pathan out given that he can also strike the ball apart far apart from bowling. Let me present the following statistics and ask you to pick the squad and if still choose Ishant over Pathan, your love for Dhoni is limitless and beyond logical sense.
Zaheer Khan and RP Singh did not complete their stipulated four overs, whereas, Ishant was allowed to bowl four and Yuvraj two. Yuvraj went for 11 in his first over and he was handed the bowl again, so that he can be hammered around the field again. We are playing 20-20 where each ball counts and we need the best. Should Dhoni be reminded of this fact and what was the justification of Zaheer and RP Singh only bowling three overs each?
Now let us review Indian team’s batting performance. The first question that comes to my mind is why was Jadeja sent at no. 4? Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan the two best batsmen in the Indian 20-20 squad were kept waiting too late. Yuvraj made a valiant effort by hitting a six on the very first ball, but, he was under tremendous pressure to go for the big shots. Unfortunately, a brilliant delivery did him. Yusuf Pathan must have been grinding his teeth in the dug-out, witnessing Jadeja’s performance. He put on a brave fight, but, it was too late. Yuvraj and Yusuf’s performance compels me to say, well tried boys, but, the captain
At a time when the run rate was way past 12 an over, Dhoni, Mr Calm and Cool was happy to take singles. I wonder where the big hitting Dhoni has vanished. Where were his innovative shots? Many would argue that he is tired and exhausted from the IPL tournament, then, why did even come to England to play. He should have opted out and rested and allowed someone else to lead.
Dhoni has not been in the best of forms in the recent past. His keeping has been ok, but, nothing spectacular. His batting is perfect for the 50 overs version of the game and he can rotate the strike. But, he is losing it in the 20-20. Either fame or too much media appreciation has put him on a pedestal where believes he is invincible. He got to release that he has to constantly perform to be respected and wanted in the team. I am not sure whether he is able to cope with pressures of being the Indian Team Captain. I think and believe it is time he takes a break and some deserving rest, re-coups himself and then joins the team for the nest series. Also, a break from captaincy would give him a chance to improve him batting and keeping abilities.
I would not have been so miffed and my state would not have been so chagrin if the team would have lost the game after a good fight. Here was a team that absolutely had no strategy and no game plan. Many say that strategy is always good or bad in the hind side. Like many others I believe that luck favours the brave, but, unlike many others I also believe that luck remains with the person who has common sense.
And finally, after yet another defeat, Dhoni had this to say to a Booing Crowd "We had a good warm-up session, had a couple of hits. In that point of view we were up for it. Our batting didn't do well today. When we come back in nine months time, hopefully we would do well. Throughout, I am quite happy with the performance of the bowlers but we lacked a few things with the batting. We have got good support, we have to win games else we will get booed at the end of the game! "
