R Ashwin says nothing much can be done, one has to just get on with it. "There's not much to do," Ashwin said yesterday.
"The demands of the game are such that players need to evolve. They need to try and cope up." The Indians haven't really coped up well so far but at least this is a great opportunity to drop the ones who don't evolve and form a team for the World Cup with the ones who do. So it goes in theory, at least.
They get another crack at it in Nagpur. They trail Australia 1-2 in the seven ODI series with just a couple of games left after the previous two matches could not be played because of rains.
But yesterday's hot Nagpur sun was enough evidence that there would be no repeat of Ranchi or Cuttack here. The sun didn't stop the policemen revealing that they are essentially fans, and that despite the insane amount of crowd-control duties, getting the stint to be part of the security of a cricket match should be a prized gig.
Over 100 awestruck stadium police personnel, including the traffic police flocked the practice ground to catch a glimpse of their idols. It made their seniors furious as they couldn't get their own men to disperse. To give up on a chance to get close to national heartthrobs like Dhoni and Virat Kohli seemed too much of a sacrifice as the cops kept shuffling around and clicking pictures.
"Don't watch from so close," they would remind each other, fearing the wrath of their seniors. "We love cricket and we don't get to meet these players," said a policeman requesting anonymity for obvious reasons. Seconds later he left the conversation incomplete and was lost in a sea of khaki clicking away at Dhoni.
Getting back to cricket, a loss in Nagpur will decide the series in favour of the Aussies, but the Men in Blue are relaxed, according to Ashwin. The spinner reckoned that his side is rejuvenated after the break triggered by the two abandoned games.
"We've taken ourselves away from the game. It's been very relaxed. We got a chance to enjoy. We've been following our usual practice methods. There is no pressure. We're enjoying ourselves."
In a series that has been a bowler's nightmare, with at least one team scoring more than 300 in all three games, Ashwin has stuck his head out and refused to be counted out.
Not brilliant, but he has been working hard for the cause, earning the right to bowl in the end overs when batsmen are in their most punishing moods. The new two-ball rule is being seen as the catalyst for this batting fest, but Ashwin is not among those whining.
Australian skipper George Bailey, meanwhile, is trying his best to help his bowlers come out of this phase stronger.
"Certainly at the moment the way the rules are can be really challenging for the bowlers so you got to try and keep a smile on their face. As long as they have a clear plan every time they bowl. The challenge is to be consistent with their approach mentally and to make sure that they have a plan and to execute it to the best of their ability. If they do that for long enough I think they are a very good bowling attack and can knock any side out."
The Indian team was put through their paces for a second straight day yesterday. After all the flak he got for his 30-run over, Ishant Sharma put his head down and bowled in the nets as if with a point to prove, while Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Shikhar Dhawan batted for over an hour.
For the Aussies, Shane Watson gave a glimpse of what to expect from him today. Watson, hitting at knock downs from the side pitch in the main stadium, cleared the ropes almost each time and occasionally, even the stands.
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