Carlton Tri-series: India should focus on beating England, not on World Cup

India have been strangely lacklustre in this ODI series. Granted, two matches and a rained-out 16 over game is not a significant sample size but the team has appeared out of sorts. The batting has been rushed and irrational - Rohit Sharma’s century in the first game the only exception – while the bowling has been friendly and comforting - for the opposition. India appear to be searching for a system, a template, for how to play 50-overs cricket in Australia. At home, that template is simple – the batsman do the work. The bowlers are there primarily because the laws of the game demand it. It is up to the batsman to put runs on the board or, preferably, to chase them down. Bowling and fielding are exercises in damage limitation. [caption id=“attachment_2070193” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  India need Virat Kohli to score runs. Reuters[/caption] The foundation of that strategy is Virat Kohli, who averages 67.08 when India chase and 86.82 when India chase successfully. Kohli, unusually, likes to chase because it helps structure his innings. The team has won 24 of 32 matches when Kohli gets a bat, a success rate of 75 percent. (That said, India have also won 16 of 23 matches batting first when Kohli averages only 41.90, a success rate of 69.6 percent. It shows how good India are at home). In this series, however, India have chosen to bat first twice after winning the toss. Kohli has also been dropped a spot in the order – to No. 4 – in theory to allow him to bat deeper into the innings. No doubt all this was done in the name of experimentation, though no official explanation has been given. The problem is it has not worked. India’s top order was exposed to the seaming new ball, especially against England, while depriving India’s bowlers of the assistance they arguably need more than any other full nation barring Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The batsmen have also been too cautious or too reckless, unable to find the happy middle Rohit occupied in the first match. In the last game, Ambati Rayudu looked like he was late for a train; such was his haste at the crease. Kohli, too, has been more aggressive than usual, which is contradictory to the goal of his batting late into the innings. Against England in what is a knock-out match, India would be better off shelving the experimentation and sticking with what has worked in the past. If MS Dhoni wins the toss, India must bowl first. If Rohit is fit, India should drop the out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan and allow Kohli to bat at No. 3. The team’s emphasis has to be on the present, on winning this game. The World Cup can wait. The reason is simple: wining begets winning. Failure to win a single game in the tri-series doesn’t mean India might as well pack up and go home but confidence and momentum are fragile concepts. The only ODI series India has won over the last 14 months has been the series against England, the same England that dismantled India at Brisbane. While teams should always try to get better, attempting new things makes winning harder. Teams are typically at their best when they are comfortable. Dhoni has said India need to be able to put runs on the board and defend them but India also need to be able to win. Yes, the team isn’t as successful chasing away from home - and Kohli goes from superhero to human – but after a long away tour, the comfortable and familiar shouldn’t be underestimated. India need a win right now more than they need to grow for the future. Bat second (if Dhoni wins the toss). Either way, bat Kohli at No. 3. Bat deep. Play two spinners. The big picture can wait for another day.