THE BEST VERSUS THE FAVOURITES

Against the run of play, as Ravi Shastri likes to call it, India has stormed into the Semi Finals of the World Cup 2015. Apart from the tricky 15 overs spell from Bangladeshi bowlers, India looked in ultimate control and the result of the Quarter-Final was a pre-known eventuality. Indian bowlers have picked 70 wickets in 7 matches. Almost all of its batsmen are looking in a good nick. So India goes into the Semi Final with lot of confidence and good form, which wasn't the story 3 months back when it was repeatedly outclassed by a dominant Australian side. Glen Maxwell has already reminded India of those horrendous 3 months in a press conference. So how should India approach the most important match of its tournament?

To begin with, India needs to win the toss more than Australia does. Though India has chased targets four times in this tournament, three of them were against associate nations, one of which was almost lost if it wasn't for Raina and Dhoni. The Indian top order has looked sharp but a head by head analysis throws in some interesting perspective. Shikhar Dhawan has quickly turned around his fortunes in this World Cup but he now faces the same bunch of bowlers who had made the early part of his Australian summer miserable. As for Rohit Sharma, his innings against Bangladesh was as important as it gets but it is far from suggesting that the man has arrived. It is very difficult to not like the guy but the one word that often gets associated with greatness is consistency. This is his best chance to shun all the criticism because a good batting display from him would certainly take India a long way.

Throughout the Australian test series, only three Indian batsmen came out shining. Two of them are playing this World Cup. This World Cup has thrown two double hundreds, some 440 odd sixes and many 300 plus scores. However, if you want to come on top of this Australian bowling, only big bats will not suffice. Technique is what you need against this fiery Aussie pace attack as each one of them will test every ounce of your technique. Technique-wise, only two batsmen look capable of handling the Australian bowling attack. It is imperative for Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane to be at the top of their game. Because if India has to score anywhere near 300 (my bet is India needs at least 275), both of them have to score a bulk of those runs. Suresh Raina has been wonderful so far in this World Cup but facing the 150 kms plus Mitchell-duo will be a formidable task for him.

That brings me to India’s bowling. It has been the most successful bowling attack in this World Cup. It has bowled out each of its opposition. Surprisingly, short pitch bowling has claimed some 30 odd wickets. However, will the short length be successful against the Australian batting? The answer was perhaps given by Wahab Riaz yesterday. He did make some of the Australian batsmen uncomfortable and India can draw some comfort from that fact. (Indian bowlers can rest assured of no butter fingers in the deep when they are bowling.) Indian pacers must also keep it under control though. Over doing anything is always harmful and the pressure of a semi final may compel the young Indian fast bowlers to overdo the short pitch stuff. India’s real key to success is its spinners. South African spinners (even if that’s a rare species) took 7 wickets on a Sydney pitch. India must not forget this stat. Australia possess Glen Maxwell in the middle order who can take any spinner apart but the line, length and speed with which Ashwin is bowling in this World Cup, it would be very difficult for even someone like Maxwell to hit him consistently. Jadeja is seemingly getting his length right and for an entirely right handed middle order of Australia, he can be very tricky to handle. The Indian fielding will match Australia’s for sure and bowlers will get extra help from a brilliant fielding unit.

All said and done, the best team of the tournament so far meets the favourites and that itself assures a high octane Semi Final. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has never lost a Semi Final of an ICC Tournament. He has not been at his best so far in this tournament, but neither was he in the 2011 World Cup till the final. He chose the final of that World Cup to show his class. Perhaps he is waiting for 26^th of March 2015 for another of his specials. India has been playing wonderful cricket in this tournament without its captain performing. What a statement it would be if the captain chooses the toughest match to come to party.