How India can use the series against WI to prepare for Australia
The recently concluded series against England is a classic case of what could have been. At Edgbaston and the Oval, India had moments where they could have hold the game by the neck and crush England out of it, but could not hold the noose tight enough. From a fan’s perspective, it is agonizing to see India lose those important moments in an away series yet again. From a viewer’s perspective though, it was a closely fought series. It showcased why test cricket remains the best format to judge a cricketer’s character and class while also providing entertainment that keeps you at the edge of your seat.
The ongoing Asia Cup however provides a perfect camouflage for India’s red ball shortcomings. Indian team plays the 50-over format better than the other two. During the Asia cup, the batsmen are back at their fluent best once again.
It is the red ball cricket where we have a lot to answer especially when we tour Down Under later this year.
I feel India should look at the upcoming series against the WI as an opportunity to prepare for Australia. With some adequate planning and futuristic approach, India can use the upcoming home series to prepare for the 4 match test series against the Aussies later this year. There are some key things that the team needs to assess and work on in order to be well rounded for the series against the Aussies:
#1 Look beyond Shikhar Dhawan
When it comes to white ball cricket, I will go to the extent of saying that Shikhar Dhawan has not let the absence of Virender Sehwag be felt in the Indian team. He has been a prolific run-getter for India in ODIs in every condition. What makes him special is his ability to deliver when it matters the most during the crucial ICC tournaments.
When it comes to red ball cricket however, he has been found wanting. He has played a few good innings here and there- like his debut innings in which he scored the fastest ever 100 as a debutant but they have largely been in subcontinent conditions and against weaker bowling attacks. Here is a quick comparison of Dhawan’s performance in Asia + Caribbean vs. his performance in the SENA countries (SA, Eng, Aus and NZ)
With 162 runs in 8 innings during the recently concluded tour of England, at an average of around 20 and a highest score of 44, Dhawan’s case for being in the Indian side has grown weaker. India should use the series against the WI to nurture players like Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal and see what they have to offer.
Also, I won’t rule out a possible return for Vijay in Australia, especially since he has found some form in tougher conditions while playing for Essex recently. For the series against WI, I feel we should give the youngsters a chance above Vijay so that we can assess our options for Down Under.