Asia Cup 2022: "The middle order is looking a little fragile at the moment" - Rohan Gavaskar expresses concern over Team India's batting backbone
Former Indian cricketer Rohan Gavaskar has expressed concern over the stability of the middle order at the moment. India's middle-order batters have had a forgettable 2022 Asia Cup, with their poor returns often leading to sub-standard finishes at the back end of the innings.
In the ongoing tournament, the middle-order has been a tricky proposition for India to deal with. The Men in Blue opted to play Dinesh Karthik ahead of Rishabh Pant and promoted Ravindra Jadeja to No.4 in their opening clash against Pakistan.
The problem started to mount in the Super 4s stage, where poor returns by Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya played a pivotal role in India's twin defeats.
Another close match in Dubai and it is Sri Lanka who win by 6 wickets.
Scorecard - bit.ly/AsiaCup2022-IN… #INDvSL #AsiaCup2022 https://t.co/zxOAo5yktG
Opining that Team India are in dire need of consistency from the middle-order, Rohan Gavaskar said on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP:
"That is a headache. That is something that the Indian team will have to think about and try to find out the right combination over there. Look, that’s an area where we have seen a lot of experts, fans and knowledgeable people on cricket talk about and say something has to be done over there."
Gavaskar continued:
"The middle order is looking a little fragile at the moment and we need a bit more consistency come out of that slot (3-4-5-6). We need a little bit more consistency coming out of those areas. So, that’s something that the Indian team management will be thinking about and looking to improve on."
Rohit Sharma's side scored 48 and 46 runs in the final five overs during their defeats against Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively. The average run-tally in the dying embers meant India ended with a below-par total on both occasions, which eventually led to their exit from the competition as well.
Another pressing concern for the team has been their bowling in the death overs, especially by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The right-arm pacer was handed the penultimate over in both Super 4s stage contests, but ended up conceding 33 runs off those two overs, leaving Arshdeep Singh with a paltry total to defend.
Siding with the team's decision to give Bhuvneshwar Kumar the crucial 19th over on the back of his experience, Gavaskar said:
“I think Rohit Sharma and this team management will give Bhuvi the 19th over or the crucial over, whether it is 19th or 20th third time, fourth time, fifth time. Simply because of the number of times he has delivered and bowled that crucial over really well in the past, whether it's for the Indian team or for his team in the Indian T20 League."
Gavaskar added:
"He has got the experience; he has got the skills. I know these are two back-to-back overs in two back-to-back games where he has gone for runs but doesn't take away from what he has done in the past.”
The Meerut-born pacer made a strong comeback into the Indian side after battling injury and form concerns. He cemented his place with a solid home season earlier this year and is touted to be one of India's new-ball bowlers at the 2022 T20 World Cup.
"Let's not forget that KL Rahul is coming back from an injury layoff" - Rohan Gavaskar
KL Rahul was not part of the 20 T20Is India played prior to the 2022 Asia Cup. The Karnataka-born batter had to deal with multiple injuries, which included a hernia as well as a COVID-19 infection when he was close to making his return.
Rahul eventually made his return by leading the side in a three-match ODI series in Zimbabwe, but the lengthy layoff has left him fetching for rhythm still. Tallying just 70 runs in four innings, where three knocks came at a strike rate of below 100, the wicket-keeper batter is far from his usual flow.
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Temring Rahul as one of the best batters in the format when he is in full flow, Gavaskar said:
“We have seen KL Rahul being an absolute beast in T20 cricket when he comes out, plays freely and there is no one better than him in my opinion. You know, when he’s got that zone where he's like just free striking the ball at the strike rate of 140-150, there's no one better than him. And when you've got a player of that ability, I think sometimes you need to persist with him."
Gavaskar concluded:
"Look, let's not forget that KL Rahul is coming back from an injury layoff, so it might take a little bit of time to get back in the groove. When he's striking at 140-150-160 mark, he's an absolute monster, absolute beast.”
India have a clash against Afghanistan in the 202 Asia Cup and a short home season to rectify their flaws ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
What should Team India do to amend their shortcomings after a disappointing Asia Cup campaign? Let us know what you think.