MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja’s forms have direct impact on India’s fortunes

India’s shock 79-run defeat to Bangladesh in the first game of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series compelled a scrutiny on where Indians may have gone wrong. Amit Banerjee analyses the recent performances of MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja, which he feels is one of India’s biggest worries.

India have been awakened rudely by Bangladesh with a 79-run defeat in the first one-dayer at Mirpur. While the defeat is not a “shock” anymore, if one takes Bangladesh’s exploits in the recent years into account, India were definitely not expecting to lose as tamely as they did. There were, however, several talking points from the match, especially the form of two members of the powerful Indian batting line-up — MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja. READ: Keep calm, Bangladesh: India will not be a hurdle

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While the opening pair of Rohit Sharma (63) and Shikhar Dhawan (30) got their side off to a positive start with a 95-run opening partnership, the rest of the batting order collapsed heavily. It was a shock for the Indian fans to see flamboyant batsmen such as Virat Kohli (1), Ajinkya Rahane (9) and Dhoni (5) get dismissed meekly. READ: India showed arrogance and complacency against Bangladesh in 1st ODI

It is in this regard that one tends to look up to Dhoni and Jadeja, who form a crucial part of the India’s middle-order. The pair, who have led India to many a memorable chase, have clearly not been at their best lately. This has reflected in their struggle with the bat in the series opener. While Jadeja fared better among the two with a knock of 32, he was dismissed while attempting to play a risky shot at a critical stage, when playing such shots was highly inappropriate.

The two weren’t at their best during the last Indian Premier League (IPL), in which Dhoni and Jadeja averaged less —31 and 19 — with the bat. In the one-day appearances in 2015, the left-arm allrounder continues to show a batting slump, with a mediocre average of 15.66 in seven innings, while Dhoni shows a slight improvement, with an average of 39 from 10 innings, mainly due to the two half-centuries that he hit in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. READ: Bangladesh inflict record defeat on India

It is this pair that usually takes the task of rescuing India’s innings from collapses. Dhoni’s ability to finish games for his team in high-voltage chases, an example of which would be the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, has carved a legend out of him. Jadeja, who has blossomed under Dhoni’s leadership, followed his captain’s footsteps, and has become a reliable figure in the middle-order.

While the entire team has to fight complacence if they are to level the series in the second one-dayer, both Dhoni and Jadeja have to awaken and assume the role of the rescuers should India fall into trouble, like they did in the first game.

(Amit Banerjee, a reporter at CricketCountry, takes keen interest in photography, travelling, technology, automobiles, food and, of course, cricket. He can be followed on Twitter via his handle @akb287)