Format Changes But Not The Result

India Vs Australia 1^st T20

It was a different venue, different version of the game, a much younger and fresh Indian team. Dhoni a day prior to this game told the media persons “From Kishore Kumar we have gone to Sean Paul.” He was emphasising on the team composition which he believed was a lot younger and better than the test team he captained. The result at the end of days play – India lost its 1^st T20 game by 31 runs against Australia.

India won the toss and put Australia to bat. May be Dhoni had a feeling that his young T20 team where better chasers than target setters. Or maybe he felt his team of youngsters may falter if they were to bat first, succumb to pressure and end up getting all out at a cheap score. He was playing with two pace bowlers (Praveen Kumar & Vinay Kumar) and three spinners (R. Ashwin , Rahul Sharma, R. Jadeja) combination.

Australia had a good mix of experience and young talent. They piled up a score of 171/4 in 20 Over. Almost every Indian bowler was trashed; Dhoni used 7 of his players to bowl 20 over. Australian wicket keeper/batsman, Mathew Wade had a field day bashing 72 run(s) in 43 ball(s). A fantastic innings studded with 5 fours and 3 six’s.

India began the chase with a disaster, Sehwag departed early for 4. The rest of the batsmen simply seemed follow him to the pavilion like a heard of sheep’s.  No one seemed to be offering resistance. And it was left for the captain Dhoni himself to ensure at least they don’t lose wickets even if they were to fail to chase the target. Dhoni (48 runs off 43 balls) and R Ashwin (15 runs off 16 balls) did what they could, but their efforts where too little too late. Finally India ended with a score of 140/6 in 20 over. In the end the result was for everyone to see, India lost by 31 runs and Indian team had lost yet another game.

Why is Indian cricket team failing to win matches?

So what is the matter with Indian cricket team? We lost all the four matches in the test series. Now we have also lost first for the two T20 games scheduled as a part of Indian tour of Australia. Format of the game changed but results did not. We still ended up as the losing side.

Who would believe this is the same Indian cricket team which was crowned world champions who won the cricket world cup 2011. Is it too much cricket? Is it too little preparation? Is it to do with the physical fitness? Or is it the fact that Indians simply don’t believe that they can beat Australia? The captain, the players, the coach, the selectors and the board, all stake holders need to sit down and think. Get to the root cause and try and resolve it. Whatever needs to be done should be done soon. Else the future of Indian cricket looks quiet bleak if the current trend continues.