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Preview: India

6 days to go...

Mission Impossible it might well seem to be, but then, nothing is impossible in cricket. The Indians had been battered in New Zealand, their pride dented and ego bruised; yet, they could make a fresh beginning in the World Cup.

The `talent' is there; it's a question of `heart', which was not quite in the right place for the `Men in Blue' in New Zealand. The wickets in Southern Africa may have less in terms of sideways movement, although there could still be bounce and carry for the pacemen. Here, the Indians would be taking a huge step backwards mentally if they enter the tournament assuming the pitches would be full of runs.

The attitude should be `even if the surfaces help the pacemen, we would still get the runs, still make the necessary technical adjustments, still win matches for India.' That is the kind of fight you would like to see from men who wear the treasured India cap, the nature of the conditions notwithstanding.

India is very much a rhythm and a momentum side and if the team gets off to a cracking start, it could well qualify from a tough pool — which includes Australia, Pakistan (an emotionally draining high-voltage duel is on the cards here), England, and Zimbabwe — into the `Super Six.'

In this scenario, the importance of openers cannot be overemphasised. Master batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been struggling with injuries, has appeared out of touch with the willow, however, he still wants to open.

Tendulkar's conquests at the top of the order have been phenomenal in the past, and here the team-management has to play the mind game, use a bit of psychology, to get the best out of the genius in this all-important competition.

In the event of being handed back the opening slot, Tendulkar would be fired up, wanting to prove a point of two, and if your best batsman is charged up, that would only benefit the side.

If skipper Sourav Ganguly, who is not in the best of forms in any case, is willing to make the sacrifice, it could prove a master-stroke, Tendulkar walking out with another match-winner, Virender Sehwag. The captain could occupy the No. 3 slot, and truth to tell, this could be the best way out of the opening puzzle.

Now to the crucial issue of all-rounders. This may not be the most popular of opinions but Ajit Agarkar, so often the `fallen guy', is the only bowling all-rounder in the squad, yet he remains someone who has been treated shabbily.

He rattles up 90 odd as a pinch hitter against the West Indies in the home ODI series, and following just one ordinary game, gets dropped from the squad! He sends down a superb spell against the Kiwis in Christchurch, and it takes just one lacklustre performance from this Mumbai cricketer to find himself out again. Now to the vexing question of the wicket-keeper. Rahul Dravid donning the big gloves has enabled the side field a seventh specialist batsman, and it would be unwise for the Indians to abandon the formula at this stage. Since the strain of being one of the principal batsmen in the side apart from being the wicket-keeper might prove too much for the committed Dravid, the young Parthiv Patel could take over the wicket-keeping duties in the lightweight games.

In pace bowling, the rejuvenated Javagal Srinath, high on octane these days, is just one short of 300 ODI scalps, while the much improved left-armer Zaheer Khan, will be raring to go as well. And the think tank may well have to choose between Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, always a tough call, for what could be the lone spinner's slot. The Indians will have to hold their nerve in pressure situations, field like tigers, run well between the wickets, if they wish to progress to the semifinals. At no stage should they press the `panic button'.

S. Dinakar

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