Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli struck by performance anxiety

By WV Raman
Team India yielding to the temptation of preserving the lead earned through a well thought out and well fought victory by including an extra batsman as additional insurance backfired in Southampton.

With Ishant Sharma breaking down, there was a real need to play five bowling options. Instead, MS Dhoni opted to bring in Rohit Sharma, a ploy that presumably should have guaranteed a draw. But the flip side of having inadequate bowling resources can always boomerang, as it did in Southampton.

Dropped catches and gritty batting from England meant that the four frontline bowlers had to work their backsides off. The excessive workload has caused a bit of an alarm, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar looks a doubtful starter in Manchester.

The lack of contributions from Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli added to the woes of the Indian team as well. They seem too wound up in their bid to perform in what is a very important series. This is something that has happened to many at different stages of their careers and hopefully both of them will find a way to relax a wee bit in order to get more fluidity in their footwork and, as an extension, have more control in what they seek to do.

The presence of Gautam Gambhir does create a bit of pressure on Dhawan, but Kohli has no such issues. Going ahead, Dhoni needs to shed the fetish of sticking to the four bowlers as it has been proved repeatedly that it has not worked abroad. Agreed that the victory at Lord's was fashioned by the same four- bowler combination but that cannot be the rule.

It is incomprehensible as to why R Ashwin is left to cool his heels with the pitches being dry. Maybe the success of Moeen Ali will give the Indian team management something to think about. Talking of Moeen, it was interesting that he proved to be the wrecker in chief. With due respect to him, the Indians brought about their downfall against him.

The unpredictable weather patterns in England normally make batting a challenge but this particular summer has been more of an Indian summer. Therefore, the pitches have been dry and showed signs of wear and tear, bringing the spinners into play.

The choice of playing a lone spinner in Ravindra Jadeja has only served to stem the flow of runs but India require a spinner who can pick up wickets. Ashwin might have flattered to deceive on other tours but the time has come for him to play if wet conditions don’t prevail at Old Trafford. By now, Ashwin would have got the message and will be keen to reestablish his credentials.

With the series all square, the urge to preserve what has been achieved will be absent. India need to adopt a positive approach as there is everything to be gained. A draw is a secondary option in the event an all-out approach to win does not succeed.

This is probably the lesson Team India learnt in Southampton and as such, the onus is on India to force the issue by throwing down the gauntlet. India should realise that England do not have a string of victories and hence it is possible to pile pressure on them. But the big question is, will Dhoni go in for the kill? The answer will lie in the final XI chosen for Manchester.

Wisden India