A World Cup in Asia with out a single Asian aspect within the knockouts – not the most effective endorsement of the subcontinent’s cricketing ardour or the robustness of its cricketing methods. But, right here we’re.
India is the one aspect from the Asian quartet to have beforehand reached the World Cup semifinals. Expectations have been excessive this time, particularly given India had made the knockouts 5 occasions within the earlier eight editions. The constructive outcomes main as much as the T20 showpiece, mixed with a fastidiously chosen squad after intensive experimentation, solely heightened these expectations. Nevertheless, a group-stage exit felt like a moist, deflating finish.
New World Cup, outdated issues
For the reason that 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa, India performed 29 T20Is, with two no-results and 9 losses. Making ready for a World Cup in Bangladesh, India confronted Nigar Sultana’s aspect twice. A 1-1 sequence draw was additionally performed in opposition to South Africa at residence in spin-friendly Chennai, anticipating related situations in Bangladesh.
The Asia Cup ultimate loss to Sri Lanka was sudden. India had cruised to the ultimate with comfy wins in opposition to Pakistan, UAE, and Nepal within the group stage, adopted by a thumping of Bangladesh within the semifinal.
Nevertheless, Sri Lanka’s planning paid off. Chamari Athapaththu’s aspect shocked India with an eight-wicket victory in entrance of a raucous Dambulla crowd, incomes a maiden Asian crown.
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India’s senior crew didn’t play a global bilateral sequence between the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup, which was finally moved to the UAE. Just a few gamers participated in franchise cricket – some in The Hundred, others within the Caribbean Premier League. For the remainder, preparations largely got here from two camps on the Nationwide Cricket Academy in Bengaluru: a health and fielding camp and a talent camp.
All-weather participant: Jemimah Rodrigues, a flexible participant keen to adapt to any function, ended up floating within the high order, specializing in maximising runs quite than stabilising a shaky batting line-up.
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Getty Photographs
All-weather participant: Jemimah Rodrigues, a flexible participant keen to adapt to any function, ended up floating within the high order, specializing in maximising runs quite than stabilising a shaky batting line-up.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photographs
“It wasn’t just net sessions at the skills camp; the players played almost five games in 10 days. So if you ask for game time, we’ve ticked that box. We played some very competitive games with different oppositions and varied skill sets,” head coach Amol Muzumdar stated on the time.
In hindsight, opponents and abilities weren’t the issue as a lot as adapting rapidly to situations. India faltered in its first sport in Dubai in opposition to New Zealand, unable to get a grip on the proceedings. That 54-run loss to a crew on a 10-match dropping streak derailed India’s momentum. A hapless batting efficiency noticed it handle simply 108 in response to New Zealand’s 160/4, crippling its Web Run Fee (NRR).
India bounced again to thrash Pakistan by six wickets, however once more, the batters struggled on a sluggish, low monitor, taking 18.5 overs to chase 105, which did nothing to enhance its NRR.
At that stage, whereas gamers echoed the same old ‘focus on process’ and ‘seal the win’ rhetoric, Shafali Verma was refreshingly candid, saying, “When you’re a player for India, you don’t need to be told about things like NRR. It’s always on your mind.”
India’s greatest efficiency, an 82-run win, got here in opposition to Sri Lanka. Fifties from Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana powered India to 172, the very best rating of the competitors this yr. Sri Lanka fell quick, with Athapaththu unable to seek out type when it mattered.
In India’s ultimate group sport, needing a win in opposition to Australia to remain in competition, it fell quick chasing 152. As soon as once more, an age-old drawback – sustaining composure in stress conditions – surfaced. Needing 14 runs from the ultimate over, India misplaced 4 wickets, with Harmanpreet, who had saved her aspect within the sport with an unbeaten half-century, stranded on the different finish.
Nice Planning, poor execution
India’s marketing campaign could possibly be encapsulated by its strategy to the No. 3 batting place. Within the 2023 winter fixtures in opposition to England and Australia, Richa Ghosh emerged as a possible candidate for the spot. Dayalan Hemalatha’s spectacular hitting within the Ladies’s Premier League (WPL) made her one other contender, whereas Uma Chetry and Sajeevan Sajana have been additionally tried in the course of the Asia Cup.
Within the warm-up matches earlier than the World Cup, Harmanpreet shocked many by coming in at No. 3. Forward of the opener in opposition to New Zealand, coach Muzumdar cheekily stated, “If you see the scorecard (from the warm-ups), you’ll know who’s our No. 3.”
Nevertheless, after the primary two video games, Harmanpreet returned to her common No. 4 spot, elevating questions concerning the administration’s backtracking. Jemimah Rodrigues, a flexible participant keen to adapt to any function, ended up floating within the high order, specializing in maximising runs quite than stabilising a shaky batting line-up. She was arguably higher fitted to within the sluggish situations.
Richa’s poor type was evident, scoring simply 19 runs throughout 4 video games at a mean of 6.33. Experiments along with her at No. 3 lengthy deserted, she slotted in in her common function as a finisher. However she couldn’t ship within the crunch sport in opposition to Australia.
On this spin-friendly World Cup, seamers nonetheless thrived. Megan Schutt and Marizanne Kapp loved success, complementing their groups’ spinners. For India, Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy took seven wickets every in 4 video games, significantly notable in Pooja Vastrakar’s absence resulting from damage. Asha Sobhana (5 wickets for 65 runs in three video games) and Shreyanka Patil (4 wickets for 84 runs in 4 video games) have been essential within the center overs, although Deepti Sharma was costly, taking 4 wickets for 113 runs throughout 4 video games. Harmanpreet’s six-bowler technique left the crew a batter quick, and the choice to depart out Radha Yadav, a confirmed all-rounder, felt like a self-goal.
Important cog: Pooja Vastrakar has been an necessary a part of India’s tempo assault, however her staggered availability resulting from damage disadvantaged the crew of the advantages her aggressive tempo usually offers.
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Getty Photographs
Important cog: Pooja Vastrakar has been an necessary a part of India’s tempo assault, however her staggered availability resulting from damage disadvantaged the crew of the advantages her aggressive tempo usually offers.
| Photograph Credit score:
Getty Photographs
Fielding and health: progress?
India’s bowlers have been efficient however faltered at key moments. Towards New Zealand, 13 extras have been conceded. Towards Australia, India’s fielding was abysmal, with 5 dropped catches in a must-win sport.
That stated, Richa took her disappointment of dropping Suzie Bates early within the New Zealand sport to coaching, practising the proper method however the nerves behind the stumps have been nonetheless evident all through. Asha and others missed essential probabilities, whereas Arundhati would have completed with a far larger tally of wickets if her fielders had held up their finish of the discount.
Coach Muzumdar’s mantra of prioritising health and fielding fell flat on each counts. India was sluggish when it got here to working between the wickets, however it improved within the matches in opposition to Sri Lanka and Australia, pushed by the robust need to outlive.
Harmanpreet: the batter or captain?
A query for the longer term is whether or not India values Harmanpreet extra as a captain or a power-hitter. Whereas she has the backing of the selectors and coach – evidenced by her retention as captain for the New Zealand ODI sequence – her potential to show video games round with the bat can’t be ignored.
Former India captain Mithali Raj has advocated for Jemimah Rodrigues to be groomed as the following to guide, preferring her over Smriti, who at the moment serves as vice-captain.
Smriti stepped in to guide the crew when Harmanpreet sat out the second innings of the Sri Lanka sport resulting from a neck pressure, attributable to a blow to the pinnacle throughout observe earlier than the World Cup. Smriti’s WPL triumph with Royal Challengers Bengaluru has helped clean out among the tough edges in her management abilities, boosting her confidence in each planning and execution.
Jemimah, however, has been energising the crew along with her pep talks and main huddles. Her presence galvanises the sector, a spot that’s keenly felt when she isn’t round. Moreover, she steps as much as tackle the media candidly, significantly after disappointing losses.
“Lil J isn’t Lil J anymore. This is my fourth World Cup,” Jemimah remarked in an ICC interview. With the longer term in thoughts, the Indian suppose tank may contemplate giving this globe-trotting batter a spot within the management group, shaping her function in alignment with the crew’s evolving tempo.
With a 50-over World Cup lower than a yr away, this Indian aspect has a lot to show. The true check might be whether or not it could actually channel its heartbreak into starvation for fulfillment on the grandest stage, particularly in entrance of a house crowd.
