Bright spots and bothers for Team India from their first warm-up match
Dinesh Karthik played a superb knock which scripted the revival of India’s chase
Barely a week after the CSK-MI final clash, amidst all the buzz and controversy in the wake of IPL6, ICC Champions Trophy has quietly kicked off with the warm-up fixtures. With most of the teams coming in with young blood, trying to assess the conditions in England to figure out their best eleven, the warm-up matches, this time, are every bit as important as the main event. Especially for an IPL-fatigued team like India, with almost no respite after nearly two months of non-stop cricket, there was a lot at stake going into their first warm-up tie against Sri Lanka. After the washout of the first fixture between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the Edgbaston track proved to be surprisingly flat the following day. Both the teams, making good use of the short boundary on one side and a compensating longer one on the other, treated their fans to a run-fest. At the end of the day, although it was India that stood victorious, both the teams took away some positives and some negatives from the clash. Here’s a look at some of the bright spots and bothers that Team India took away from its first warm-up match.
Kohli’s sublime run continues: Ever since “The Wall” retired from ODIs, Virat Kohli has been the new Mr. Dependable for India. He can be trusted to come up with the goods when it is most needed. His exceptionally high average of close to 60 when chasing shows how much he thrives under pressure. With a string of low scores since his 128 in Sri Lanka last July, Kohli appeared to hit a lean patch. Hence, it was crucial for India that he find his rhythm before the Champions Trophy, especially given the long hiatus team India has had from this format of the game. And his arrival at the Champions Trophy couldn’t have been scripted better – under pressure, in a high-scoring run chase, against Sri Lanka, an opposition against whom he enjoyed much success. Kohli’s 144 would certainly have boosted the confidence of the rickety Indian top-order. With its vital cog in supreme shape, the top-order has space to settle in and snap back into their game.
DK 19 arrives: When Dinesh Karthik was included in the squad for ICC Champions Trophy, the question on everybody’s mind was not “why”; everybody knew what he was capable of, everybody saw him pile on runs at the domestic level and in the IPL. The question that got everyone wondering was where he would fit in this Indian batting line-up. He is used to opening the batting or coming at the top of the order. But getting in at the top, competing with Kohli and Raina who are in the form of their lives and, Vijay and Dhawan who are showing a lot of promise, seemed next to impossible. So, when he came in (donning a jersey that read “DK 19”) as India was left reeling after a top-order collapse at 110-4 chasing 333 and staying till the end to see India home, he not only secured a slot in the team but also showed how useful he can be even down the order. The aggression with which he brought about a change in the tempo when the target seemed out of reach, and the temperament he showed when he played second fiddle as Kohli got going, are indicators of his maturity. With DK looking in top form, the already strong Indian lower middle-order looks even more formidable.