Perhaps, one must try and read between the lines to understand if Mahendra Singh Dhoni indeed attempted to say something critical after India's second successive defeat here on Wednesday.
"...when you come in and play a few games you just play your natural game and then all of a sudden you have a reputation to carry on and that puts a bit of pressure on you."
He didn't name them but he couldn't have been referring to anybody other than Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma: the opening pair was the toast of the nation till just a few months back; now suddenly, it is being roasted for losing the old fire, and leaving the team cold and blue.
Dhoni was clearly alluding to the fact that the duo was getting carried away with its own sparkling chemistry and derring-do with the bat: yes, they have been amazing since they got together in a marriage of convenience last year; but over the last few weeks, starting in South Africa, something seems to be missing.
They continued with their attacking ways initially, believing that things will fall into place soon; now, they realise that it's not working and are trying to find other ways to make it click: they begin cautiously, not bothering too much about the asking rate or the scoring rate; yet, the results are even more disastrous.
"We got off to a good start in terms of not losing wickets," said Dhoni. "(but after that) the openers should have carried on for a bit longer, played a few more shots and scored a few more runs," he added.
Clearly, the honeymoon period is over; worse, both seem confused, with Rohit almost looking devastated after each failure. They quickly need to figure a way out as they have been the driving force behind India's recent successes. Is it possible, as Dhoni alluded, that they were becoming victims of their own success, and the adulation that followed?
Interestingly, Dhoni has the solution too: "With more and more games, they will realise what their real game is. They will back themselves to play it, they will change and improve for better performance. We play free-flowing cricket and that's what they should, play their shots. It does not matter if it is the first ball or the last."
The question, though, is if it is already too late? India are two down and have lost the No. 1 ranking? They need to win the third game at Auckland to stay alive in the series, and that may call for desperate measures. Dhoni has already indicated that things have not gone the team's way and that a few things may have to be changed.
He may have to start at the top, at least taking a second look at the pair that has given him a golden run since the Champions Trophy; he may want to give them a free run, and invite them to play their natural game. Or he may consider the ever-improving Ajinkya Rahane for a temporary opening job; Rohit can either be pushed down the order, where additional firepower is needed or even bring Ambati Rayudu into action.
The move will, however, not solve the problem: there is a weak link in the middle-order, another one in the pace department and the spinners are not contributing enough, either with the bat or ball. It looks beyond repair at the moment unless Dhoni decides to have a conversation with the team, and leaves nothing unsaid.
0 comments:
Post a Comment