How India Lost The T20 Series Versus South Africa
India losing in their own backyard is never a good feeling. A number of factors contributed to India losing the T20 series vs South Africa. Here are some of the things that the team management might need to work on as they go back to the drawing board for the third T20 in Kolkata.
- NDTV
- Updated: October 06, 2015 06:13 PM IST
1. MS Dhoni's Rusty Form
One of the biggest reasons for India's consecutive failures in Dharamsala and Cuttack is perhaps the rusty form of the skipper. MS Dhoni played his first international match in three and a half months in Dharamsala. He came in in the 17th over and scored a 12-ball 20. India could have got to 220 plus, but settled for 199. (MS Dhoni Rues India's Batting Collapse)
In the second T20 in Cuttack, he walked in the 9th over. He had a lot of time but he could make just an 8-ball 5, with no boundaries. Is he over-thinking things? Perhaps. Dhoni himself has admitted, "I personally feel that I used too much brain in this format. It's very important I keep myself free and go and play my strokes."
The bottom line is, Dhoni the finisher, renowned for his ability to take the team to a big score or across the finish line has been missing.
2. Why is Ajinkya Rahane Being Kept Out?
This is a question that is being asked by almost every Indian cricket fan. Dhoni has decided to keep one of the better T20 players in the country on the bench in both the matches so far. Rahane, who averages 34 in the IPL, has only made an appearance as a substitute fielder in the ongoing series. Before the series began, Rahane was being picked in every expert's playing XI, but the Indian captain thinks Ambati Rayudu suits the needs of the team better. Â
Former India captain and NDTV cricket expert Sunil Gavaskar couldn't understand the decision to keep Rahane on the sidelines either, saying, "I think someone who is as well organised as Ajinkya Rahane, him sitting out in this line-up is a little hard to understand. Maybe bring Rahane in place of Rayudu, because he is also going to lift up the fielding. He is a much, much better fielder than Rayudu."
3. The Axar Patel Mystery
Another major reason for India's below-par performances is the Axar Patel mystery. Is he being played as a spinner or as an allrounder? Either way, it's not working. In the first T20, the 21-year-old gave away 45 runs in his 4 overs without taking a wicket. In the second match, Dhoni brought him on only in the 13th over, prompting fans to ask, "Why is Axar in the team?"
Former India captain and NDTV cricket expert Sunil Gavaskar in fact said, "I believe that he (Axar) has been rushed into international cricket a little too soon."
© AFP
4. The Run-Out Bug
Here's something that's becoming quite a trend - Indian openers losing their wickets to run-outs in T20s. In the first T20, a bad call by Rohit Sharma saw Shikhar Dhawan depart. In the second, it was Rohit himself who was run-out for 22.
Incredibly, the Cuttack T20 was the fourth consecutive T20 match where an Indian opener had been run out. Up against a team known for its fielding, running between the wickets is something the Indian support staff will have to pay close attention to in the coming months.
5. The Toss Factor
From 2007 to 2014, MS Dhoni had won 26 of 44 tosses in international T20s - the best toss win percentage for any captain in that period. However, in the curent series against the Proteas, MSD has lost the toss both times. That has meant India has received the worst conditions in both Dharamsala and Cuttack.
In the first T20, in the high altitude stadium in Dharamsala, dew played a huge role. With India bowling second, both the spinners and seamers had a tough time.
In the second match, the Cuttack pitch wasn't the easiest to bat on in the first innings when India were batting. The sight of an Imran Tahir delivery jumping up to knock the bat out of Rohit Sharma's hands was one of the signs that the pitch had a bit of uneven bounce. The track though eased up a lot in the second innings and the Proteas didn't have too much trouble chasing a paltry target and taking an unbeatable 2-0 series lead.
Plenty for the Indian team, Director Ravi Shastri and support staff to think about. With a long series ahead, it's back to the drawing board for the Men in Blue.
India losing in their own backyard is never a good feeling. A number of factors contributed to India losing the T20 series vs South Africa. Here are some of the things that the team management might need to work on as they go back to the drawing board for the third T20 in Kolkata