5 things India need to do to bounce back in Durban

3. See off the new ball with minimum damage

Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel breathed fire at Jo’burg and it was all too much for the Indian batsmen to handle. Rohit Sharma was given an absolute nightmare by Steyn, and Shikhar Dhawan threw his wicket away after a promising start. The good thing about Rohit was that he was willing to fight and didn’t throw it away easily. But, apart from resolve, this series will always be a huge test of Rohit’s technique and patience. Dhawan is a swashbuckler, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take some time, early in his innings, to get his eye in. Once that is done, things will be much easier.

4. MS Dhoni to bat at 5

This is something that many an expert has been crying out for. Dhoni is arguably India’s best batsman in ODI cricket, and it is only fair to expect him to spend a lot more time in the middle, than just come out for the final flourish. There is a calm to proceedings, when Dhoni is in the middle, and with a middle order, that is otherwise woefully out of form, Dhoni will be the main man. The numbers tell us that Suresh Raina is far more comfortable at 6, when he has the cushion of runs on the board, and he likes to provide the final flurry. So maybe, Dhoni should consider the option of him batting up the order.

5. Yuvraj to fire

Yuvraj Singh‘s form is a huge worry for India. With Yuvraj being the most experienced man in the team, it is essential that he steps up to the plate and makes a contribution. The problem for Yuvraj is that he is getting intimidated by the pace bowling, and is not getting into the right position. Like it is for Dhawan and Rohit, Yuvraj also needs to spend some time in the middle, get accustomed to the conditions, and then, once set, can take the attack to the opposition.