NEW DELHI: On paper, four months can pass quickly in the blink of an eye in international cricket, but for the Indian T20I side set to begin their three-game series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday, it has felt long enough to trigger a quiet crisis of identity.
Fresh off a T20 World Cup triumph earlier in the year, India find themselves nursing the wounds of consecutive series defeats in Ireland and England under new skipper Shreyas Iyer. Former India spinner Maninder Singh believes the recent slide, while jarring, might be the reality check the Indian team needed to shake off the overconfidence, which in turn can be a good thing in the long run.
“Basically, I think conditions also (played a part in the defeats). It’s because we won the World Cup in India and played the IPL in India. So, our boys are used to playing in conditions like that, and they are used to playing in such conditions. Like, if you talk about (playing in) India, the ball comes on the bat very well.
“But the conditions in England were a little different. So, it took some time to adjust to that, and that is why they struggled in those conditions. I think that's basically good at times (to go through it) because there were talks that there is so much talent in India that they can make three different teams.
“So, people will start thinking differently – that we go to different conditions and struggle a little, and in such conditions, how quickly can a cricketer adjust himself to it? That will also be keenly seen by the selectors. In a way, it is good that there was a little shock like this, as the overconfidence that was coming from our bench strength is so strong that we can make three teams. So, they will come out of that,” Maninder told IANS in an exclusive conversation facilitated by FanCode, the broadcasters of the India-Zimbabwe T20I series.
In Ireland and England, Indian batters were consistently found wanting against movement and steep bounce, and repeatedly undone by poor shot selection against the hard lengths employed by the pacers. Compounding these technical woes was the relentless tinkering with the playing eleven, alongside a growing list of fitness concerns.
The conditions at the Harare Sports Club promise another stiff test for the Indian batters, with open stands and early assistance for pacers in terms of seam and bounce. Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Brad Evans and Newman Nyamhuri can be a really good pace quartet to challenge the Indian batters.
Maninder views this as an immediate opportunity for India's young batting core to prove that their recent struggles in Ireland and England were a temporary glitch. “Look, in conditions there, the ball also moves around. The stadium there is very open, and so, the ball will move. I am also basically waiting to see how these cricketers will fare.
“Our batters who struggled a little in England- if you talk about Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, and Suryansh Shedge - we will get a little chance to see them more – like when the conditions are like this, how quickly do they adjust themselves in it?
“It’s because it is not that easy, but if I see Zimbabwe’s team, I don't think there should be so much trouble in taking them on. But it is certain that the way you have lost in England and even lost to Ireland, these boys will have something to prove - that it was just a one-off series in which they did not have any rhythm. This is another chance for these players to show that they can adjust themselves and do well in difficult conditions too,” he added.
One of the talking points leading up to this tour has been the relentless rotation and chopping and changing of personnel. Another baffling aspect was the overloading of all-rounders in the playing eleven, which also led to someone like Kuldeep Yadav missing out on game time in ODIs.
Maninder suggested it as a deliberate audit and to nail down the players who are mentally ready for the long haul over the next 12-18 months. “Look, as far as the constant changes are concerned, probably they are trying out cricketers. For the future, they are trying to keep an eye on the cricketers who are ready for international cricket and who are mentally ready.
“It’s because it is very important to be mentally strong in international cricket. So maybe the selectors are keeping an eye on this too. The coaching staff, Gautam Gambhir and the rest of them, maybe they are keeping an eye on this to keep trying the players and find out who is ready for international cricket because when you play cricket for the Indian team in India, there is a lot of pressure.
“So how is a player tackling that pressure? Maybe they are keeping an eye on it, which is why the chopping and changing is happening so much. When they settle a little, they will find out a little more about it in the next 1-1.5 years. So probably you will not see so much chopping and changing,” he signed off.
--IANS
