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Team India sparks ODI Diwali cracker, but some worries remain

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S Kannan
S KannanOct 30, 2016 | 17:30

Team India sparks ODI Diwali cracker, but some worries remain

The Indian cricket team has sparked Diwali celebrations across the country by sealing the ODI series in an emphatic fashion against New Zealand in Vizag on Saturday.

In what appeared to be an up-and-down series, the Kiwis could not show character with their collapse in the decisive ODI, suggesting they just wanted to fly back as soon as possible.

From India’s point of view, two series wins, first in the Tests under Virat Kohli’s captaincy and the ODI wins under MS Dhoni, do prove we are the kings at home.

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Yet, if you flip through India’s batting statistics in the ODI series, there is a lot to worry about. As has been written repeatedly, minus Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, this side looks struggling to string a win.

Kohli continues to bat like the way only he can and his tally of 358 runs in five matches against New Zealand was top class. Skipper Dhoni has managed to rediscover his touch by promoting himself to the No 4 position and scoring runs in three matches. He scored 192 runs in five matches and remains in charge of the side as skipper and wicket-keeper batsman.

If one were to view this series as some kind of a build-up for the Champions Trophy in England next summer and take a good look at the batting resources available in the middle order, it has been very disappointing.

R Ashwin had been rested and Shikhar Dhawan once again got injured. Suresh Raina, perpetually under the scanner like Yuvraj Singh, missed the series to what has been attributed as viral fever. In the absence of a left-handed batsman in the side, it was not smooth sailing all along for India.

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Between Kohli and Dhoni, they remained the best batsmen in terms of reliability and ability to score runs.

Given the scrutiny which Dhoni has been subjected to by sections of the media - quite needlessly - he remains in command.

As a skipper and mentor, he has seen closely how the younger lot has performed. Even at the post match conference in Vizag, Dhoni mentioned how players like Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandey and Axar Patel would have learnt a lot.

If you see the runs scored by Indian batsmen in the middle order, Kedar Jadhav scored 90 runs in four matches and Manish had a poor run - 76 runs in five matches. Kedar did take a few wickets, but it’s in batting he needed to have played more solid.

kohli-embed_103016051521.jpg
Virat Kohli continues to bat like the way only he can and his tally of 358 runs in five matches against New Zealand was top class. (Photo credit: India Today)

From now till the Champions Trophy in the middle of 2017, India are not playing too many ODIs. England came for a full Test series and three ODIs, otherwise it remains a packed Test calendar against Australia and one Test against Bangladesh.

Had Manish and Kedar scored heavily, it could have meant the selectors would have had to take a hard look whether to pick Raina or not. But based on these five ODIs, there is nothing to suggest these men in the middle order have grabbed the chances.

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In the good old days, they may have not even got to play so many matches. However, Dhoni has believed youngsters need to be groomed, so he was not going to indulge in the chop-and-change strategy. Kedar is 30.

Even on Saturday at the post match interaction, Dhoni sounded cool and composed as always. For a man with such rich experience, there is no question of him worrying about what lies in store ahead for India next summer in England.

Yet, there is disappointment when you are playing ODIs at home on almost placid matches and the younger lot has not performed. This Kiwi side has looked very average and those eager to score and cement their place in the side would have performed with more flair. Dhoni has made it clear he is going to stay at the promoted No 4 slot as he has done enough in the role of a finisher.

Once R Ashwin returns to the ODI side and Dhawan gets back to full fitness, the team tends to kind of fall in place. It’s only in the middle-order that batting slots wear an open look.

Over eight months to go for the Champions Trophy may seem a long time. But once the madness of summer begins, it will be all about IPL cricket.

We have seen in the past, Indian players who have done well in the annual slam-bang club cricket have forced selectors to take a look at them.

Maybe, that could again be the trend in 2017.

(Courtesy of Mail Today)

Last updated: October 30, 2016 | 17:30
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