2nd ODI: India look to inject more pace

DURBAN: A cloudy sky, rain in the air, a green Kingsmead track... The signs are not too good for Team India. A heavy defeat in Johannesburg has left MS Dhoni's men in a must-win situation and South Africa seem to be relishing the prospect of sealing the series here on Sunday.

"It's not as green as you are making it out to be...This is par for the course in this country," South African assistant coach Adrian Birrell told TOI, laughing at the Indian media contingent's concern over pitch.

The six-man pace battery (including old warhorse Jacques Kallis) was too much for India to handle at the Wanderers and the hosts have indicated that there would be no let up in the only day-game of the series. While Dale Steyn feels "all Indian batsmen" are his "targets", Birrell maintained that the visitors have got their bowling combination totally wrong.

In the first game, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav - the two pacers who can bowl at 140 kmph were benched in favour of Mohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. According to the South Africans, that was a "big mistake" and India paid the price by conceding 358 runs. "Those guys at 120-30 kmph were cannon fodder..You have to think of either Umesh or Ishant," the coach said. The Indian team management, too, is planning accordingly. Vice-captain Virat Kohli, when asked about the probable combination, said "It's an area we are looking into."

But Umesh and Ishant have been erratic of late and with four fielders outside the ring in death overs, they seem to run out of ideas. It's early wickets that Dhoni looks for in order to build pressure and he believes that bowlers who can move the ball around are his best bet. But post Johannesburg, it looks certain that he will be forced to sacrifice either Bhuvneshwar or Mohit to inject a bit of pace.

The Indian batting, too, isn't at its best. Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh all seemed completely clueless. "Some of them were jumping all over the place," Steyn said adding that he would like to believe that he has been able to frighten off Indian batsmen.

The Indian camp, though, was quick to dismiss the 'fright theory'. "None among us took a backward step in Johannesburg. There were no eyes closed against bouncers. Steyn bowled brilliantly, but that doesn't mean we are scared of them," a stone-faced Kohli said.

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Shweta Pandey

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