JOHANNESBURG: Virat Kohli and India’s team management will not lose too much sleep over the defeat in Johannesburg that kept South Africa alive in the six-match series. Everything that could possibly go wrong, starting with the weather, did go wrong and Kohli will know that his side are unlikely to be as sloppy again.
But after three straight wins where they were far too good for their hosts, the Wanderers defeat gave India a glimpse at some of the weaknesses that could derail what is certain to be a strong World Cup campaign in the English summer of 2019. Kohli is the most accomplished ODI batsman in the world, and has been getting strong support from the opening combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, despite the latter’s struggles in South Africa.
The new-ball duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah promise both wickets and control, and the spin combination of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has been instrumental in the Indian dominance in South Africa. But with just over 15 months to go until the World Cup, the middle order remains a major headache, and defeat to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final last June showed just why India can’t bank on the peerless Kohli every time.
In Johannesburg, they were first stymied by the rain. Cruising at 200 for 2 when they had to go off, India added just 89 for 5 in the 15.4 overs bowled on resumption. With the ball, they had South Africa on the precipice at 106 for 4, only for David Miller to be reprieved twice in an over – first, a dropped catch from Shreyas Iyer at square leg, and then Chahal overstepping as he slipped a beautiful leg break through the batsman’s defense.
Miller, and the outstanding Heinrich Klaasen — playing only his second game in place of the injured and out-of-form Quinton de Kock — duly made India pay, with the spinners taking a pounding as they struggled to grip the wet ball. “It basically became a T20 game,” said Kohli afterwards. “We did not grab our chances, so we did not deserve to win.”
Leg-spinner Chahal and left-arm googly bowler Kuldeep, who had tormented South Africa to the tune of 21 wickets in the first three games, went for 119 off the 11.3 overs they bowled. They will not be anything like as charitable with a dry ball in hand.
But a cursory look at the numbers since the last World Cup tell you exactly which soft spots India need to address. Kohli has scored 2,859 runs at 84.08 in that time. Rohit (2,244 runs) and Dhawan (1,802) also average over 50, while matching Kohli’s strike-rate of nearly a run a ball. So far, so very good. But what follows does not match the entrees.
Of the middle-order batsmen, only MS Dhoni has aggregated over a thousand (1,455) and his strike-rate of 84.29 tells you that he needs time to play himself in. Kedar Jadhav (778) is next on the list, but has gone off the boil a little of late. Hardik Pandya has not crossed 30 in eight innings since he lit up the home series against Australia last September.
Manish Pandey, after announcing himself with a sublime match-winning century in Sydney two years ago, has found consistency a problem, while Ajinkya Rahane has played his best innings as opener. The solution could well be to move Dhoni to No. 4 and give him time to build an innings. From No. 6, he takes far too much time to find his rhythm.
The contrast with England, currently favorites to win on home soil, is stark. Eoin Morgan (1,962 runs), Jos Buttler (1,392) and Ben Stokes (1,368) all average over 40 since the last World Cup. Morgan strikes at nearly a run a ball, while the explosiveness of Buttler (strike-rate of 123.62) and Stokes (105.31) has been a huge factor in England’s 50-over renaissance.
When India won the World Cup in 2011, they could call on Yuvraj Singh (the player of the tournament), Suresh Raina and Dhoni in the middle order. Raina played match-winning hands in both the quarter-final against Australia and the semi -final against Pakistan, while Dhoni finished things off in the final. The present incumbents will need to up their game significantly if Kohli’s stunning batsmanship is not to be in vain.
India cannot rely solely on ‘peerless’ Virat Kohli for World Cup success
India cannot rely solely on ‘peerless’ Virat Kohli for World Cup success
T20 World Cup: England rout Sri Lanka for 95 to win Super Eights opener
- England were asked to bat first, scored what looked like below-par 146-9
- Archer, Will Jacks took five wickets to leave Sri Lanka top order in tatters
KANDY: England routed Sri Lanka for 95 to give captain Harry Brook a perfect birthday present as they opened the T20 World Cup Super Eights phase with a resounding 51-run win in Kandy on Sunday.
After England were asked to bat first and scored what looked like a below-par 146-9, Jofra Archer and Will Jacks took five wickets during the six-over power play to leave Sri Lanka’s top order in tatters at 34-5.
“That’s a beautiful birthday present,” said Brook, who turned 27 on Sunday.
“I thought we played exceptionally there. To get over the line and bowl them out for less than 100 is an awesome effort.
“I didn’t think there were really any demons on the pitch. I think the spinners on both sides used the pace really well, and that’s what brought a lot of wickets.”
It was England’s 12th win in a row against Sri Lanka and on a pitch that was sticky and slow after rain all week in Kandy.
The margin of victory gives them a healthy net run rate advantage in a Super Eights group that could be further affected by weather, after the New Zealand-Pakistan match was washed out on Saturday in Colombo.
“We’re buzzing with that,” said Jacks who was named player of the match for the third time in five matches in the tournament.
“At the halfway stage, we were pleased to get up to 146, but obviously we knew we were going to have to bowl well and work hard.”
The searing pace of Jofra Archer accounted for both openers, including the in-form Pathum Nissanka (9), who had scored a century and 62 in his last two knocks but failed to clear Jamie Overton at deep mid-wicket.
Archer finished with 2-20 and Jacks 3-22, the latter accounting for Kusal Mendis (4) and Pavan Rathnayake (0) in consecutive balls.
Dunith Wellalage staved off the hat-trick but lasted only 10 balls before also falling to Jacks, for 10.
LONE BATTLE
Dasun Shanaka fought a lone battle scoring 30 off 24 balls before falling to Adil Rashid.
The Sri Lanka captain took on the leg-spinner but Jacks took the catch and tossed the ball to Tom Banton before stepping over the boundary.
“It’s one bad game which is not affordable in a World Cup,” said Shanaka.
“But we need to bounce back in the next couple of games.”
Sri Lanka earlier restricted England to 146-9 with left-arm spinner Wellalage taking 3-26.
Phil Salt scored 62 at the top of the order but Sri Lanka, who are missing three of their frontline bowlers, contained the rest of the England batting line-up with regular wickets.
Wellalage was introduced during the power play and trapped the out-of-form Jos Buttler (7) and Brook (14), both lbw, as England limped to 68-4 at the halfway mark.
Salt was caught in the deep off Wellalage after facing 40 deliveries with six fours and two sixes.
Jacks, with 21, was the only other England batsman to score more than 20.
“Jacksie was pretty annoyed with the way he got out,” said Brook, who then explained why the new ball was tossed to the off-spinner.
“He said to me he always bowls better when he’s angry, and thankfully he got off to a cracking start.”
Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka took 2-25 while Maheesh Theekshana took 2-21 with his offspin.
