Published: Feb 24, 2016, 01:54 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 24, 2016, 05:17 PM (IST)
With the World T20 a fortnight away, the Asia Cup in its revised 20-over format will serve as the ideal dress-rehearsal for the mega-event. That the Asia Cup will be staged in conditions that are pretty much what we can expect in India for the World T20 makes the timing of the event even more significant for the four big Asian nations who will all expect to make it big at the World T20.
India, of course, will be keen to win the World T20, but while that will be the long-term target, the immediate goal will be to not just use the Asia Cup as a launch pad but also win the tournament itself. Their confidence buoyed by the unprecedented sweep in Australia last month and by their come-from-behind 2-1 win over Sri Lanka at home earlier this month, India will approach the Asia Cup with a confident and positive frame of mind, and should relish the challenge of being tested by powerful teams who are all equally at home in what should be spin-friendly pitches.
While India will believe they have ticked most boxes, a few issues do need some ironing out. It is essential to find the right balance between pushing for the Asia Cup title and keeping everyone in the team in proper match shape. While the top four — Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina have had adequate batting time in match situations, the middle-order is a little undercooked. I would personally like to see more of Yuvraj Singh and Hardik Pandya in the middle. By that, I do not mean of course that there should be a top-order collapse, but going forward, it is imperative that these two batsmen, as well as MS Dhoni, have a couple of good knocks under their belts so that they carry that form into the World T20.
Of course, it looks increasingly unlikely that MS will play in Wednesday’s opening game against Bangladesh, but I would not count that as a huge setback. MS is a very experienced player and even though he may not be the feared big-hitter he once used to be, he still knows how to work the situations to his advantage because his game awareness is immense and he is also electric between the wickets. Yuvraj, perhaps even more than Pandya, needs at least one big knock as much to reassure himself as anyone else, so India can use one of the games to maybe push him up the order and give him a chance to play a big innings.
As much as batting, Yuvraj and Pandya need to bowl a little more so that they can become more consistent. The manner in which Ashish Nehra and Ravichandran Ashwin used the new ball against Sri Lanka would indicate that up front in the Powerplay overs, they will do the bulk of the bowling. That will free up Jasprit Bumrah, who has shown that he is up to the task of bowling at the death. Consequently, the middle-overs become crucial because games are often won and lost there. Ravindra Jadeja will need support in the middle overs, which is exactly why Yuvraj and Pandya must find a way to marry wicket-taking with acceptable economy rates.
Speaking of bowling, I think India should find a solution to the Mohammed Shami issue quickly. I understand that Shami is a fantastic bowler who will obviously add value to the team, but the fact that twice in the last month and a half he has been ruled out without playing a game would suggest that his rehab has not gone according to plan. With very little time between now and the World T20, it would be more prudent to let him go back to his rehab, and stick to Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
It is never easy not knowing exactly what place you occupy in the scheme of things. Much of Bhuvi’s last few India call-ups have been as injury replacements, and that could not have done good for his confidence. I would advocate a friendly word, a comforting arm around his shoulder and a solid vote of confidence from the think-tank.
India will, I am convinced, start as the Asia Cup favourites. They are the best fielding side in the competition, if not in the world right now, though there is still some work to be done when it comes to catching. A majority of the squad is not just extremely quick across the turf but is also blessed with strong throwing arms. The number of run outs India have pulled off in recent times alone is illustrative of the rapid strides this Indian fielding unit has made, and in the 20-over game where the difference between victory and defeat is miniscule, every run saved is worth as much as a run scored.
In saying that, India cannot afford a moment of complacency. Bangladesh are a formidable unit, especially at home, as they thrive on their familiarity with the conditions and a passionate crowd that oozes energy. In Mustafizur Rahman, they have a proven match-winner, an exciting young paceman who has already tormented the Indians in limited-overs cricket. Taskin Ahmed is another promising prospect while Mashrafe Mortaza is a canny old warhorse, which means their pace attack is in very good hands.
There is plenty of spinning power too with Shakib Al Hasan at the forefront, but like most teams, Bangladesh will rely on a strong start from their openers. I also foresee a bright future for Soumya Sarkar. Throw in Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim, perhaps the most intelligent wicketkeeper-batsman in world cricket, and you can see why they have the potential to be a formidable T20 side. They will be the team to beat even if India are the most fancied team, because at home, they are an entirely different entity that feeds off the energy of its fans.
And then there is Pakistan. Is there a team that is more mercurial in the world? Can anyone entertain and exasperate in equal measure like Pakistan? They are full of talent, their fast bowling the envy of every team in the tournament. With a definite slant towards left-armers, Pakistan boast the towering Mohammad Irfan and the admirable Wahab Riaz, while the returning Mohammad Aamer has another chance to ensure his comeback is fruitful and gathers steam. Aamer was good without being extraordinary in New Zealand in his first international outing in five years, and if he rediscovers the zest with which he wowed the world before temporarily being lost to the game, it will be a breathtaking sight.
I do feel, however, that Pakistan are a little light on spin and heavily dependent on Shahid Afridi, their ebullient skipper. Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez will form the experienced batting core, but I cannot wait to see Sharjeel Khan, drafted in as a late replacement. He will be full of confidence after his century in the PSL, and the Asia Cup will be a bigger canvas from which to proclaim his skills to a worldwide audience. To score a hundred in any form of the game at any level is brilliant; to do so inside 20 overs calls for special skills. Sharjeel is the latest in a long line of promising talent to emerge from Pakistan.
Sri Lanka had a forgettable tour of India despite winning the first T20I in Pune. Unlike India who recouped quite quickly from the successive retirements of their established stars, Sri Lanka have not been able to unearth the men to fill the vacuum created by the end of the careers of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. To be perfectly honest, I was a little disappointed at the approach of some of their younger batsmen. I expected more application and commitment from the youngsters, but that was not to be. Of course, Sri Lanka will be a far stronger outfit with the return of their T20I skipper Lasith Malinga as well as their Test and ODI captain Angelo Mathews. These two, along with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Rangana Herath, must shoulder the bulk of the load, but even T20Is are only occasionally won by individual brilliance from the same set of three or four players.
And what of UAE? I was pleasantly surprised to see them make it to the main draw at the expense of Afghanistan, who were almost the universal favourites to come through from the qualifiers. The qualifying competition was a learning for the UAE players who were pitted pretty much with players of their own standard. To play against India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be a much stiffer ask, but also a more rewarding educational experience if you are willing to pick up the right things and pick the right brains.
(VVS Laxman, CricketCountry’s Chief Cricket Mentor, remains one of the finest and most elegant batsmen in history. He was part of the iconic Indian middle-order for over a decade and a half and played 134 Tests and 86 ODIs. He tweets at @vvslaxman281)
