It has been a rude shock for all sports fans, including pundits like me, but this is the nature of the beast called T20 cricket — a wonderful format that gives David a chance to slay the Goliath! This is not to undermine the stature and performance of New Zealand, who have been a top class team in all formats of the game. But the hype and hoopla around Team India had created a narrative that the World Cup was ours for the taking. Reality is in front of us. The stark reality where Team India finds it difficult to even qualify for the semi-finals! We might have the stars, but on the day what matters is what you dish out and what India dished out was unpalatable, to say the least.
I empathise with skipper Virat Kohli and his team. Maybe the pressure of the expectation of 130 billion people was too heavy a burden on them. Full marks to the clinical and uncluttered approach of the Kiwis who came out in the field all guns blazing! They were just perfect in all departments of the game. New Zealand came with a plan and they executed that with perfection.
It was, however, sad to see the famed Indian batting line-up fall like a pack of cards, first against Pakistan and then New Zealand. It was baffling to see none of the batters get into the groove. I know that on certain days no matter what you do and who you are, the mojo can go missing. But the collective failure of the team, as a whole, on such a big stage is shocking and unbelievable. Yes, the Kiwis bowled in the right areas, but I will still blame it on lack of proper planning and preparation for the T20 World Cup. Also, some of the decisions like change in batting order made little sense. Maybe the pressure of putting those extra 20 runs to the par score to give a cushion for the bowlers for dew weighed too heavy on our batsmen’s minds.
I would still support the team as I know by experience that these things happen and the team needs to move on. The big lesson is for the top players and the head honchos to somehow bring a balance between IPL and Team India. It will be short-sighted to judge a player by his performance in the IPL, something we seemed to have done this time. It’s a harsh take but if fans treat and swoon over an IPL win, then it’s difficult to make some of these young players realise that they have not yet arrived.
Coming to today’s match against Afghanistan, here’s a word of caution for Team India: Afghanistan are not pushovers in this format. They're a good side with some really promising young players. Afghanistan have won their two games against Scotland and Namibia, and were on the verge of an upset victory against Pakistan before Asif Ali took the game away with four sixes in one over. So, to take this side lightly would be a mistake. More so because they have a quality spin attack in Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi who have immense T20 experience.
One also hopes that Kohli finally wins the toss and opts to bowl first, something he couldn’t do in the first two matches. One also expects R Ashwin to finally get a place in the playing XI. He is too good a player to be warming the benches all this while.
Meanwhile, change is in the air and for Kohli this World Cup might be his last outing as T20 captain. With Ravi Shastri also moving out, Team India, currently in a crisis mode, seems to be in for interesting days ahead. Who knows if it’s just a new beginning?
The writer is a former India fast bowler and a cricket expert. Views expressed are personal.
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