The edgy thoughts is preventing its personal demons and reaching the coveted vacation spot even earlier than the journey is full. It occurred in London, Melbourne, Birmingham and now Cape Town.
The outdated adage “there’s many a slip between cup and the lip” suits the Indian girls’s group to the ‘T’.
After one other emotionally exhausting semi-final defeat, what appears to be extra disconcerting is that it’s not a singular slip however a number of slip-ups. It signifies a definite sample of not having the ability to maintain one’s nerve throughout key moments.
The closing look at the 2017 ODI World Cup revolutionised girls’s cricket in India. The nationwide facet was anticipated to construct on that outcome and problem the hegemony of Australia however six years later, it continues to attend for an elusive world title.
India discovered themselves in acquainted territory within the T20 World Cup semifinal in opposition to Australia on Thursday. They had been on track for a well-known win however following a weird run out of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, they imploded and the outcome was one other heartbreaking loss.
Since the 2017 closing loss in opposition to England, India’s defeats in knock-outs have come within the 2018 T20 World Cup semifinals (England once more), the earlier T20 World Cup closing at the MCG and Commonwealth Games gold medal match final 12 months (each in opposition to Australia).
Factoring within the inconsistent cricket performed by India within the league stage, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led facet did nicely to push the Aussies to the restrict.
Despite being poor within the area and unusual with the ball, India managed to be within the sport, largely because of the particular person brilliance of the skipper and Jemimah Rodrgiues.
The query that begs to be answered is that why does India preserve coming brief in excessive strain video games? Is is it the choice, is it the health that has led to shoddy fielding, is it the techniques or is it one thing else?
Curious case of misfielding and poor catching
Fielding coach Shubhadeep Ghosh has quite a bit to reply for India’s efforts within the area on Thursday when Australia went on so as to add at least 25-30 runs because of the missed possibilities within the area.
Shafali Verma, who has not been capable of enhance her fielding since making her debut in 2019, dropped a dolly off a well-set Beth Mooney and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh missed a regular stumping off Meg Lanning, who went on to punish India within the demise overs.
“The World Cup winning India U-19 squad looked much fitter and sharper on the field. I bet most of the senior cricketers will not be able to pass the yo yo test (a mandatory requirement in the men’s team). With poor fitness, one can’t expect the players to field well,” former India captain Diana Edulji informed PTI.
Both Shafali and Richa deliver quite a bit to the desk as power-hitters however they have to enhance within the area. “They can’t afford to make the mistakes they made against Australia,” added Edulji.
Strike-rate of batters not adequate for T20s
Shafali, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia and skipper Harmanpreet had a strike fee of lower than 110 within the match. In the fashionable sport, something lower than 130 will not be thought-about adequate.
Star batter Smriti Mandhana batted at a wholesome strike fee of 138.5 however was not constant. Shafali is present process a protracted lean patch and bowlers proceed to take advantage of her weak spot in opposition to the short-ball as she is unable to right the issues in her sport.
She depends an excessive amount of on boundary hitting and finally ends up consuming a excessive proportion of dot balls. Perhaps time has come to provide opener S. Meghana an prolonged run.
Power-hitting isn’t just a pre-requisite within the males’s sport, it has develop into as essential within the girls’s sport. Richa has excelled in that division and could also be she is healthier off taking part in as a specialist batter with the wicket-keeping accountability assigned to somebody like Taniya Bhatia.
The seasoned Deepti Sharma should reinvent her batting to remain related within the shortest format.
Spinners disappoint once more
Not so way back, the spinners had been thought-about because the group’s largest power however they’ve gone off the boil of late and appeared pedestrian within the World Cup.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad went wicketless within the match whereas Deepti and Radha Yadav too didn’t rise to the event within the video games in opposition to England and Australia.
Renuka Singh was the lone vibrant spot within the tempo division with Shikha Pandey not doing something noticeable in her comeback occasion.
The lack of tempo choices can be an space of concern with left-arm pacer Anjali Sarvani not thought-about adequate to begin in even one sport. Meghna Singh has been stored on the sidelines and was amongst three reserves in South Africa. She deserves an extended run. The creation of Women’s Premier League is anticipated to unearth extra expertise for the Indian group.
Permanent roles for teaching workers
The BCCI might cast off the development of NCA coaches working with the ladies’s group on a short-term foundation.
Troy Cooley was a part of the facet in South Africa as a bowling coach whereas Hrishikesh Kanitkar was appointed because the batting coach of the facet two months earlier than the World Cup with head coach Ramesh Powar being eliminated and despatched to NCA as part of “restructuring process”.
The board should appoint full time coaches going ahead so that they have sufficient time execute their plans for the group.
Though Powar’s involvement with the group didn’t result in roaring success, he being sacked months earlier than a World Cup was not a perfect situation. He had fallen out of favour with captain not wanting him within the facet.
“The captain cannot be given absolute powers to run the team. Coaches have to be appointed on a long-term basis and senior players must work with them rather than calling all the shots by themselves,” mentioned a former participant.
With nothing to indicate of their tenure, the buck additionally stops with the Neetu David-led choice panel.
“With the next T20 World Cup just 18 months away, they must start preparing now,” mentioned Edulji.
