England vs India ODI Series Preview: Surviving the British challenge

We are the champions – my friendand we’ll keep on fighting – till the end

- Queen

The Indian cricket team was decimated in the test series versus England and looked as clueless as Americans with cricket bats. Notwithstanding this humiliating fact, India are still the ODI champions of the world. The upcoming limited overs series against England provides an opportunity for the Men in Blue to redeem themselves and to establish their authority in at least one format of the game.

The Indian players seem to be outshining each other when it comes to injuries. Injuries which were relatively unheard of in cricket – blurring vision (Gambhir) and loss of hearing (Sehwag) are now in discussion. This sudden flood of injuries helps to highlight the fitness of Rahul Dravid at 38 years old (who’s been recalled). Injecting fresh blood into the side should help lessen the frequency of injuries. The series provides opportunities for players like Varun Aaron and Ajinkya Rahane to show off their much talked about skills. If nothing else, youngsters would provide much needed energy and enthusiasm to the whole team.

And of course, for a change, the spotlight will be on Rahul Dravid. The unsung hero of Indian cricket looks to showcase his class and temperament one last time. With Sachin Tendulkar not being in the best of forms, the youngsters would look to Dravid for advice and strength. It wouldn’t be surprising if The Wall decides to shed his normal approach and be more aggressive in his batting style. If he does play (which he should), he should bat at the no. 3 position with Sachin following him at no. 4.

According to veteran cricketer Farokh Engineer, the one day format is not as technically demanding as test cricket. It is difficult for batsmen to play tests in tough English conditions without a proper technique. The inexperienced players would find ODIs much easier and would look to make an impact in the important series.

Before the first test at Lord’s, an article mentioned that the duke balls were not favouring swing even in overcast conditions (contrary to popular belief). Sure enough, the Indians found it hard to move the ball throughout the tests. The English bowlers were used to playing with these balls and found it comparatively easier. The ODIs use the kookaburra ball and will favour both teams equally (popular belief).

The main problem that the team faces is that the most of its World Cup heroes are unavailable for the series. Sehwag, Yuvraj, Harbhajan, Zaheer, and probably Gambhir are missing in action and this would seriously hamper the team’s chances of defeating the English. But since these players weren’t in their finest forms, it would be unfair to say that the replacements don’t have a chance.

The statistics may not be in favour of India, but Dhoni has never been one to be dictated by figures. Even though he is facing problems with his keeping and his batting, he won’t let the pressure show. His inspirational captaincy will come into play and he will be happy to have a young, talented side at his disposal. His captain cool persona will encourage younger players to play their natural game and not to be intimidated by foreign conditions.

Perhaps the most clichéd line in Indian cricket – India faces problems in the bowling department. Injuries to Zaheer and Harbhajan coupled with lacklustre performances by Sreesanth and RP Singh has forced Eric Simons to evaluate his options. Ishant Sharma has an ankle injury and has also been ruled out of the series. There is huge pressure on Praveen Kumar and newbie Varun Aaron. Praveen will, as usual, swing the ball in the early overs and Aaron should attack and not just look to support PK. This is a huge opportunity for Aaron and one just hopes that it won’t be too much for the young lad.

There was a certain amount of complacency in the BCCI as it took the series for granted. Now that that’s effectively destroyed, India can focus on the game and take one match at a time. The Indian team can of course draw inspiration from the spirited performances of Yuvraj and Kaif in the NatWest series of 2002. If India manages to pull this off, Sourav Ganguly can do a shirt twirling dance again; this time from the commentary box.