World Cup 2015: Steady Mohit Sharma fits into MS Dhoni's Plans
Mohit Sharma was inducted into the team from stand-by list after Ishant Sharma failed to make the cut due to an injury.
Bowling combination has been an age-old worry for India but they somehow have always found their balance right in the World Cup, with Haryana's Mohit Sharma showing early promise in this edition of performing his duties as per his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's demand.
The third seamer has been the most important cog in the Indian bowling wheel over the years. In at least three editions, third seamer's role has been very crucial. (India Can Break World Cup Jinx Against South Africa, Says VVS Laxman)
Be it Roger Binny or Madan Lal, who shared the third seamer's duties after Kapil Dev and Balwinder Singh Sandhu during the historic 1983 World Cup campaign in England or Ashish Nehra complementing Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan in the 2003 edition, India have always found their 'Go-To' Man.
Even Munaf Patel, who completely transformed himself from a quick bowler to steady wicket to wicket bowler, did play his part in the 2011 edition. Similarly, Mohit, in this edition, is a late entrant into the team after Ishant Sharma's departure due to hamstring injury.
Even before he was inducted into the main team from stand-by list, Mohit impressed everyone with his length and movement against England in Perth, and Ishant's injury opened the World Cup doors for him.
His two for 35 coming in as a change bowler was pretty impressive. He has been consistent with his steady career economy rate of 4.87 in 90.1 overs that he has bowled in international cricket.
"So far Mohit has been really consistent with his line and length, which I feel is the key for him. He has that variation of pace. He uses the bounce so well. So far he has proved himself," the 26-year-old got the vote of confidence from his skipper, who praised him after the Pakistan match. (Indian Team Will be a 'Force' in Coming Years: Mike Hussey)
Dhoni is aware of Mohit's strengths.
"He's (Mohit) not someone who gets a lot of bounce, but he's quite consistent with his line and length. I felt if he bowled well with the new ball, if we get more wickets with the new ball, we can put pressure," Dhoni had explained.
Although Mohit according to Dhoni is ticking all the boxes, he wants to keep things as flexible as possible with various combinations.
"What we are doing right now is every day we have to see. (No Smooth Sailing at Adelaide Airport for Team India)
Okay, today who's bowling well, and accordingly we will set a plan. It's not like you have a fixed role assigned for everyone," Dhoni said.
For Dhoni, "improvisation" is mantra for putting pressure on opposition.
"I feel a lot of improvisation is going on because this is the best that we have got, and we have to improvise and use it in the best possible manner," opined the Indian captain.
"Every time, you have to see, okay, today this guy is bowling really well. How to use him, how to use spinners in a specific way, because if you see, if you compare how we have been using spinners and how we are using fast bowlers in the middle overs, it's entirely different to how we have done so far," observed Dhoni.