fallstuff
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Can't defend 338? You can't win the WC!
New Delhi: Cricket is not a one-way traffic zone and the Indian team - which probably thinks batting alone can win them the World Cup - was taught a lesson on Sunday by England who exposed the co-hosts' Achilles heel called fielding and the single-man bowling army called Zaheer Khan.
India were pushed into a tight corner by England even after posting an imposing total of 338, leaving Dhoni to scratch his head after Andrew Strauss' (158 off 145 balls) assault exposed the inefficacy of Indian bowling attack.
While bowlers like Shahid Afridi, Mitchell Johnson and Imran Tahir have been enjoying heydays, the Indian bowling unit has failed to deliver in the two games they have featured in so far in this World Cup.
The hemorrohage began in the game against Bangladesh where, after scoring 370 runs, the Indian bowlers leaked 283 runs. And the bleeding failed to cease on Sunday, when India had to recall Zaheer to take them out of jail when they looked dead and buried.
The English team also managed to rub India the wrong way by turning ones into twos, thereby opening up an old wound (fielding) that has failed to show signs of healing.
Slip-ups continued to be the order of the evening as half chances (Harbhajan Singh letting off Andrew Strauss) and regulation slip catches (Virat Kohli dropping Ian Bell) were spilled.
But worse was to come in the post-match presentation and press conference where Dhoni conceded that it's difficult to improve on the fielding front.
"We cannot improve the fielding. There are some slow fielders. We have got the talent to improve the bowling," Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
Now when you have a captain saying that about his team, it not only shows the team physio and trainer in bad light but also sends out a wrong signal to the players who otherwise would have worked on their fielding.
Dhoni was also content with the tied result, probably becuase the match had already slipped out of India's hands until England ill-timed their batting powerplay.
"The way it was going, it seemed England would win it. So happy with the tied result. It may reflect as a win in the table," Dhoni said.
But Dhoni hit the nail on its head in his concluding comment when asked what is a defendable score for him with the resources he has got.
"If 338 is not enough, then perhaps in every match you will have to score 350-360 runs, which will be very tough to do."
That's exactly the point Mr. Dhoni. If 338 can't win you a match, what hopes fan can have to see India winning the World Cup!
link:
Can't defend 338? You can't win the WC! - World Cup 2011 - Cricket Next
New Delhi: Cricket is not a one-way traffic zone and the Indian team - which probably thinks batting alone can win them the World Cup - was taught a lesson on Sunday by England who exposed the co-hosts' Achilles heel called fielding and the single-man bowling army called Zaheer Khan.
India were pushed into a tight corner by England even after posting an imposing total of 338, leaving Dhoni to scratch his head after Andrew Strauss' (158 off 145 balls) assault exposed the inefficacy of Indian bowling attack.
While bowlers like Shahid Afridi, Mitchell Johnson and Imran Tahir have been enjoying heydays, the Indian bowling unit has failed to deliver in the two games they have featured in so far in this World Cup.
The hemorrohage began in the game against Bangladesh where, after scoring 370 runs, the Indian bowlers leaked 283 runs. And the bleeding failed to cease on Sunday, when India had to recall Zaheer to take them out of jail when they looked dead and buried.
The English team also managed to rub India the wrong way by turning ones into twos, thereby opening up an old wound (fielding) that has failed to show signs of healing.
Slip-ups continued to be the order of the evening as half chances (Harbhajan Singh letting off Andrew Strauss) and regulation slip catches (Virat Kohli dropping Ian Bell) were spilled.
But worse was to come in the post-match presentation and press conference where Dhoni conceded that it's difficult to improve on the fielding front.
"We cannot improve the fielding. There are some slow fielders. We have got the talent to improve the bowling," Dhoni said at the post-match press conference.
Now when you have a captain saying that about his team, it not only shows the team physio and trainer in bad light but also sends out a wrong signal to the players who otherwise would have worked on their fielding.
Dhoni was also content with the tied result, probably becuase the match had already slipped out of India's hands until England ill-timed their batting powerplay.
"The way it was going, it seemed England would win it. So happy with the tied result. It may reflect as a win in the table," Dhoni said.
But Dhoni hit the nail on its head in his concluding comment when asked what is a defendable score for him with the resources he has got.
"If 338 is not enough, then perhaps in every match you will have to score 350-360 runs, which will be very tough to do."
That's exactly the point Mr. Dhoni. If 338 can't win you a match, what hopes fan can have to see India winning the World Cup!
link:
Can't defend 338? You can't win the WC! - World Cup 2011 - Cricket Next
