WING IN THE LOTION

INDIA CENTRAL ORDER 4 & 5 HAS NOT CAUSED CONFIDENCE -

When will India's soft underbelly, the middle order, trip and topple them? Or will the bowlers keep squeezing them through? That will decide India's fate in the World cup. We might get an examination of what they are accomplished if England bat is first and roll up a big score. Before the World Cup start, after the team was chosen, it was clear that India's run will come towards to two men: Shikhar Dhawan and Hardik Pandya. The other good things were a given: the bowlers' great show, Rohit and Kohli's run-fests. Dhawan was an extremely vital cog: not just for his left-hander's advantage at the start but how he could ease the burden and almost nullify the need for the middle order to contribute heavily. And Pandya for two things: for his concluding that takes the pressure off MS Dhoni, and his bowling, that can simplicity or increase the captain's burden. Thus far, Pandya has held his end. If Dhawan was there, the chances of all three-him, Sharma, and Kohli-failing was rare. The middle order would have come into the match that much later, and India could have had the richness of sending Pandya forwards of Dhoni-because there won't be much overs left, no need for consolidation, and Pandya could do his thing standing from outside off stump. That hope has long been buried. With Dhawan absent, now the middle order has to obtain its bread. Prove its worth. But nearly everybody there appears to be batting one slot too tall for them. 

And it then creates turbulence in Dhoni, who now has to be everything: the anchor to the finisher and the man who sets a target for India when batting first. But what would happen when India are chasing and one of the two(Kohli or Rohit) don't fire. Of course, there is KL Rahul and India would aspiration he steps up. He is a bit like early Sharma, in the effect he has on the fans and former players. Oh, he looks so good, they would drawl, eyes twinkling away in love. Now they do it with Rahul. Cheteshwar Pujara had a wry observation to make on the looks good phenomenon that delayed his test debut by at least 3-4 years. Seven years since, just three Tests old, he had told this communicator about the painful delay. There is no use hitting two sixes and getting out. Those on-the-up shots get the commentators and fans talking but no one really looks what happens after that. People can get found out in tough conditions. I think people have realized that now. Now Rahul is in that boat. He is clearly a good batsman but somehow, he has been unable to get his act with each other. Right through the last Test series in England, the difficulty was obvious almost: he just played from the crease, infrequently getting forward or going back. He never changed it, and it's still the same now. It should work on flatter tracks but quality in World Cup teams means the bowlers keep testing him out. Even West Indies figured him out. Even because it appeared they had got a transfer away with the short-ball stuff in some of the preceding losses, triggering ire from the likes of Clive Lloyd. But with Rahul, after portion back of length stuff, they would immediately hurl one fuller to check and it was on one of those times, he was bowled. Driving from the crease.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION ON VIJAY SHANKAR-

Rahul has to find a way out but if he doesn't then the pressure comes to the middle order. Vijay Shankar requires that one big knock to resolve down but more the wait in its arrival, then unfortunate the confidence is likely to go. In IPL, the problem was much clearer to spot. He would dawdle along on arrival, pushing and tapping around, and then say around the 15th over mark, he would go for a big hit. Usually, an ill-advised pull or pre-determined lofted hit that would invariably drop into a fielder's palms. The lengthy 50-over outline should help his batting style but he has come in force situations. He has this tendency to keep pushing his bat inside the line. Inevitably, one arrives with his name on it. The Kemar Roach delivery was a pretty good one, it came in with the angle before seaming away for a touch, or rather holding its line and for a man who loves swishing inside line, it was game over. One of the reasons for Shankar's presence is for exactly this situation. When this is a semi-crisis in the middle overs, he can stabilize the innings with his steady conventional batting. Then comes Kedar Jadhav. He has a pretty good defensive technique actually, but that argues that batsmen who bat lover in the order have the itch to keep feeling for the ball gets him into troubles. Otherwise, he has that calmness in the middle that captains like. A phantom that there is no calamity when there is a crisis. He can push and tap, he can run firm if needed, and he can, of course, hit out too. All this would be nearly irrelevant if the Dhoni of old was around, of course. He could have taken command, dragged the innings ahead and then decided to stun everyone with the way he could finish. That isn't a given now. It can occur of course but it's not an assurance anymore. It can't be the match plan. It can't be India's way anymore. They need the middle order 4 and 5 to fire. And now. But what's a World Cup campaign without one or two hurdles? You got to earn that Cup.