By Karthik Parimal

For a brief moment during the first One-Day International (ODI) at Melbourne, the Indian side exhibited glimpses of brilliance; the same brilliance that bamboozled the Australians during the second Twenty20 game. Looking at the way Vinay Kumar and Praveen Kumar went about tightening the noose around the Australian batsmen in the first few overs, an Indian dominance in this game too looked inevitable. But when play resumed after a heavy downpour, the Indian spinners undid all the good work done by the two seamers.

It’s a surprise that Mahendra Singh Dhoni decided to persist with two medium-pacers and two spinners even in this game. However, it was a pleasant sight to see Vinay Kumar constantly bowl above the 135 kmph mark. It surely was a million dollar performance by Vinay, who was picked by the Royal Challengers of Bangalore for $1 million in the IPL auctions recently. He was well supported by Praveen Kumar at the other end and it could have augured well for India had the remaining bowlers maintained the pressure created by the two Kumars. Unfortunately for India, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rahul Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja were the main culprits who let the Australian batsmen off the hook.

One gets the feeling that going in with two spinners was an absurd move. Considering the fact that Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma can bowl a bit of spin and are more than capable of stemming the run flow in the middle overs, the Indian think tank should have gone in with either Ashwin or Rahul Sharma, but not both. Although Rahul Sharma was instrumental in dismissing a set Matthew Wade, his economy rate of almost seven runs per over did not help smoothen matters. Ashwin too bowled all over the place and remained wicketless. His economy rate was a shocking 9.60 runs per over.

The Indian spinners should have gone in for the kill once play resumed, especially when the Australians were on the mat at 35 for two in 11 overs.  A lot of loose deliveries were on offer instead and the Australians made mincemeat of the spinners. This is not the first time India has let the opposition get away from its jaws. The bowlers have failed to be consistent more often than not. In yesterday’s match, it appeared as though the spinners were simply going through the motions and waiting for the Australian batsmen to make mistakes in the remaining twenty overs rather than tightening the screws.

During such situations, an experienced campaigner like Zaheer Khan would have made a lot of difference. Zaheer is not only adept at striking early with the new ball but is also equally efficient once the ball wears out a bit. India would have realized his value yet again on Sunday. Unfortunately, his fitness has been an issue. Hopefully, the problem with his knee won’t be a major worry so that he can be fit for the upcoming games. India’s bowling department will be undoubtedly bolstered by the return of Zaheer Khan, but it’s high time someone steps into his shoes and becomes a consistent performer like him.

Umesh Yadav is another bowler who has been making all the right noises throughout this tour of Australia. Although he tends to get hit, he has the uncanny knack of picking wickets at crucial junctures. He is still learning the rigours of International cricket and his presence in the side adds a lot of value. India should have gone in with three seamers and one specialist spinner instead in the first ODI. If the track becomes spin-friendly due to changing conditions, there are always bowlers like Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma to fall back upon.

It is important that the Indians go in with three seamers for the next game against Sri Lanka considering the fact that the runners-up of the 2011 World Cup are proficient players of spin. Also, Ashwin needs to perform consistently with the ball if he plans on cementing his place in the side.

There are plenty of issues to be addressed for India in both the batting and bowling departments. The runs will come once the batsmen spend time in the middle but it is important for the bowlers to create and maintain that pressure. The theory of going in with two spinners has a high possibility of falling flat on tracks that are not that spin-friendly. The next game against Sri Lanka is on a lively Perth wicket and the inclusion of Yadav in place of one of the spinners might just work in favour of India.

(If cricket is a religion and has many devotees, Karthik Parimal would be a primary worshipper. This 23 year old graduate student, pursuing his Masters in Engineering, could be an appropriate example of how the layers of what inspires, motivates and keeps one happy run deeply in our daily lives. He, unlike others, is not too disappointed about not making it big by playing for the country, but believes that he plays the sport every day with his heart by watching and writing on it)