Real tests await team India in World Cup

Collectively, India has failed to inspire confidence. From here on, there will be no easy games and Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will need to get their act together. 

India meets South Africa and the West Indies in its final league games before the decisive knock-out phase commences. A setback here and there will be no comebacks. 

It's pertinent for India to move into the critical final stretch with a well-settled team. So far, there has been a lack of cohesion between the different departments Consequently, the side has played in fits and starts. 

Despite leading Group `B' with seven points from four games, India has not quite appeared a team that could regain the World Cup it last won in 1983. 

Indian campaign has lacked sparkle

This is not a side without ability. India has depth and firepower in batting and possesses a bunch of bowlers who can hold their own in these conditions. Yet, the Indian campaign has lacked sparkle. And the laboured victories over Ireland and Holland have highlighted valid concerns.

Chasing 208 against Ireland at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, India was at a worrying 100 for four before the rejuvenated Yuvraj Singh imposed himself on the contest. Perusing Holland's modest 189, India slumped to 99 for four at the Kotla before Yuvraj, once again, rescued the side. Against more threatening bowling attacks, India might have well lost from these situations.

While much has been written about the Indian bowling, the batting has appeared wobbly and has dug holes for itself. Here, it is vital that Gautam Gamhir, who occupies the crucial No. 3 slot, consolidates on starts. If not, the think-tank might be tempted to push Virat Kohli to one drop and pick Suresh Raina, a forceful left-hander in the sub-continent, for a position lower down the order. Raina can be an influential batsman in the middle-order in these conditions. He will also lift the standards of the Indian fielding in the circle along with Kohli.

The in-form Yuvraj too would be able to bat at No. 4. Presently, he is surfacing too low at No. 5. The onus, thus, is on Gambhir to make his presence count before the think-tank explores other options.

In the two matches where the Indian batting boomed, the bowling came up short. We return to a situation where one area does not quite complement the other.

India ran up a total of 370 for four against Bangladesh but found thehome team replying with 283. The bowling lacked incision and the fielding was shoddy. Actually, India had a wonderful opportunity to bat England out of the contest on the remarkably flat track at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. But then, India collapsed from 305 for three to 338 all out. Then, the bowling was ordinary and the host was fortunate to get away with a tie. Had England held its nerve, it could have nailed the contest with an over to spare.

Ashwin needs to be tried

India needs to be more flexible vis-a-vis the playing eleven. The side must try out R. Ashwin in the remaining two matches. The confident off-spinner can share the new ball with Zaheer Khan if the conditions demand such a ploy. This will also enable left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra, India's best bowler at the death, to bowl more overs towards the end.

Senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh — he has two wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 4.07 — could benefit from the presence of Ashwin. While Harbhajan has been tidy, he has lacked support from the other end and teams have been playing out his spells.

Perhaps, Dhoni needs to have more aggressive field placements for Harbhajan to change the mind-set of the batsmen and create an element of pressure.