India begin the defense of the world title that they won so thrillingly in South Africa in 2007 by playing a team that knocked them out of the fifty overs ICC World Cup earlier that same year.
Bangladesh played inspired cricket in not just restricting a strong Indian batting line-up to a manageable total and then went on to score the runs in style to dash the hopes of millions of cricket lovers in India.
That loss caused an upheaval in Indian cricket and many heads rolled and India looked to a new leadership and found in Mahendra Singh Dhoni a captain who not only led from the front but was also one who showed no emotion whatsoever as he marshaled his team through tough terrain.
The Indian team has become one of the most feared and respected teams in the last couple of years not just because of the quality of its players but also for the determination to stick it out through hard times. They will need all those qualities as the other cricketing teams in the world try to snatch the crown away from them.
India’s cricketing confidence is also a reflection of the manner in which its administrators have administered the game and the influence that they have garnered in the cricketing world.
The Indian selectors also have to be commended for the selection policies that have made for a mix of youth and experience that seems to bail out the side in difficult times.
The success of Rohit Sharma in opening the batting will ease some of the worry about Virender Sehwag’s form in this version of the game. Sehwag for some strange reason hasn’t quite cracked the code of the T20 game but anybody who thinks that he is not suited to it is talking rubbish.
If there is one batsman in the world who can literally destroy an attack and make the opposition look clueless it is Sehwag and so captains have to learn to indulge him a bit. It’s not just with the bat but also with his cricketing acumen that Sehwag contributes to the team.
Who can forget his suggestion to Anil Kumble to give “lambu” (Ishant Sharma) another over in the Perth Test? That over saw the dismissal of the Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and India went on to win the Test at Australia’s fortress.
The worry for Dhoni is the new ball attack if Zaheer doesn’t report fit. R.P. Singh and Praveen Kumar have lost a bit of confidence and have looked out of sorts. In the last couple of years Zaheer has gone on to be the No.1 bowler in the world and his knack of breaking opening partnerships in all forms of the game make him a vital member of the team.
The use of spin is crucial and Pragyan Ojha is showing that he can cope with conditions in other countries as well. Whether India will go in with two spinners is something we will soon find out but it’s an option that Dhoni has. He will also have the use of Raina and Sharma as part time bowlers who will have loads of confidence after their exploits with the ball in the just concluded Indian Premier League.
The fielding too is looking sharp and so India are well prepared to defend their title. They will be pushed no doubt by others and no team is unbeatable and that’s what is the beauty of the T20
