Asia Cup: India ticking the boxes

Colombo, September 13

Despite a stop-start campaign so far, India have reached the Asia Cup final with an undefeated record. After just one completed match, against minnows Nepal, in seven days, India played two games in three days to seal a berth in the final with one more Super 4 tie to go.

194 Rohit Sharma is the leading scorer in the tournament

11.33 Kuldeep Yadav has the best average among the top wicket-takers. He leads with nine wickets

150 KL Rahul’s scoring average in the tournament. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have scored at an average of over 64, with Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan above 50

After a walk in the park against Pakistan, India passed their toughest test so far against a plucky Sri Lanka. Opting to bat, India managed a below-par 213 but the bowlers produced a splendid collective effort to carry their team to a 41-run win.

India captain Rohit Sharma said his team needed these kind of matches to prepare for the upcoming World Cup. “It was a good game. For us also to play a game like that under pressure. Challenged a lot of aspects of our game,” Rohit said.

India had bossed Pakistan in their previous game. After the top-four had a field day — with two hundreds and two fifties — to lead India to 356/2, the bowlers returned on the reserve day to skittle out Pakistan for 128.

It was a good game. Challenged a lot of aspects of our game. Rohit Sharma, India captain

Spin trouble

The match against Sri Lanka, though at the same venue, was played on a different pitch, with much less grass cover. Expecting turn, India added another slow bowler to their attack but it was their batters who could not adapt quickly enough. India lost all their wickets to spinners, with only Rohit firing in the top-order. “We definitely want to play on pitches like these to see what we can achieve,” Rohit said.

Encouragingly, though, India’s middle-order steadied the ship for the second time in the tournament. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya had rescued India in their group game against Pakistan. This time, Kishan partnered comeback man KL Rahul to help India set a fighting target.

‘Good headache’

Kishan has usually been India’s go-to wicketkeeper for limited-overs matches this year but it is clear he cannot take his place for granted with Rahul hitting top form after returning from injury.

Kishan appeared to be first-choice for the gloves, not just because he has four fifties in his last five ODI knocks but also for the left-handed variety that he brings in a batting line-up dominated by right-handers.

Rahul’s first two knocks since returning from a thigh injury, however, have ensured he remains in contention, creating the “good headache” that chief selector Ajit Agarkar had anticipated after picking both in the World Cup squad.

Rahul also kept wicket for the majority of the Pakistan innings and throughout the Sri Lankan innings. “I have been keeping wicket for a long time, more than two years now actually,” Rahul said. “So it’s not new for me, and the team management has told me that this would be my role in the squad — to play in the middle order and keep wicket.”

Comeback men

In the bowling department too, comeback men have performed well in the tournament. Kuldeep Yadav’s renaissance has been the most impressive. After falling down the pecking order and then undergoing a knee surgery, the left-arm wrist spinner has returned to become India’s most dangerous bowler going into the World Cup.

The 28-year-old has taken 31 wickets in 15 ODIs this year, the highest by an Indian. He followed up his five-wicket haul against Pakistan with four against Sri Lanka. “He’s worked hard on his rhythm and you can see the results. He gives us a lot of options. So going forward it’s a pretty good sign,” Rohit said.

Jasprit Bumrah has also shown signs that he will be back at his best by the time the World Cup begins. In his two games here, the 29-year-old bowled with gumption and provided India early breakthroughs.

The team has also been boosted by Pandya’s role as a bowler. His incisive spells — with the all-rounder easily hitting 140kph — have been getting India wickets at key junctures. “He’s worked hard on his bowling over the last couple of years, and it’s pleasing to see how he bowled that spell,” Rohit said. — Agencies

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