NEWS
Follow UsIndia’s bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey stood firm with Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube, indicating that the team will continue to back them.
The spot of both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CSK regulars has been under the scanner. Dube has lost batting form since the last five Indian Premier League (IPL) games. After averaging 58.3 and striking at 172.4 in the first nine games of the season, Dube’s number dropped to an average of 9.2 at a rate of 112.2 during the crucial phase.
In India colours, Dube has batted twice since, first in the warm-up game where he scored 14 off 16 against Bangladesh, but a tougher day followed when he scored a painful nine-ball three against Pakistan. Under the watchful eyes of the head coach, Rahul Dravid, Dube spent a decent amount of time batting in the nets during the optional session ahead of the game against USA.
Seen as a seam-bowling all-rounder, Dube has bowled only three overs for CSK in the past three seasons and has bowled for India only in the net sessions and the warm-up game. In that clash, he returned with impressive figures of 2/13 in the three overs he bowled.
What has also increased scrutiny for Dube is his exploits in the field. In a low-scoring thriller against Pakistan, Dube dropped a regulation chance of Mohammed Rizwan at deep fine leg. Rizwan held the chase together for Pakistan until Jasprit Bumrah castled him in his third over, 15th of the innings. In T20s since 2022, Dube has had a catch efficiency of 76.7%, the lowest among all the batters and all-rounders in India’s squad. This is perhaps a reason despite being capable of chipping in with a few overs, CSK have used the impact player rule to sub him out during their fielding innings. There is no such option at the international level.
Jadeja’s batting form might be a bigger concern for India. Jadeja has never been a spin basher, but his hitting form against pacers deserted him in the recent IPL, especially at the tricky surface of Chepauk that was unlike the road like surfaces at other venues. In five innings at the Chepauk, Jadeja averaged 35 against pace but stuck at 116.7. Given Jadeja is slated to bat at number seven or eight, and the wickets are not looking flat by any stretch, it will be required of him not to take a lot of balls to open his shoulders.
It must, however, be stated that the pitch at the Nassau County Cricket Ground in New York has been extremely tough for the batters and thus cannot be used to assess anyone’s form accurately. Speaking a day before India’s third match of the tournament against the USA, Mhambrey stated the team will not judge them on one bad outing.
“I think someone like Jadeja, who's so vastly experienced, he just needs a game out there to just get his root around and feel around. And we know that the skills that he has and the experience, he's going to go ahead and he's going to win your games," Mhambrey said.
"So that confidence we have in not only Jadeja, but honestly with someone like Dube and others as well. You can have one odd game and people will have conversations saying you are given a game, and you're going to have one bad game. That's fine, but the team will back you. And that's what is important in a tournament like this.”
The selection of Axar Patel alongside Jadeja in the squad surprised many, given that India have not fielded both in an XI in white-ball games owing to the similar nature of their bowling. Not only have India started with both in the XI in the World Cup, but they have also given Axar, the less experienced of the two, a bigger role in both departments. He was promoted to number four against Pakistan and bowled more overs than Jadeja.
Including both Axar and Jadeja has given India batting depth since they have a capable batter as low as number eight. But it has also meant that there is no place for Kuldeep Yadav who has been India’s number one white-ball spinner for the last couple of years. Talking about his exclusion in the XI, Mhambrey alluded to the necessity of going in with a right team combination.
“About Kuldeep, I think a discussion very clearly happens in the team and everyone discusses with each other. I think when we go to the ground, we look at the wicket and decide the composition of the team. So, we talk to each player.”
For Kuldeep to be in the XI, India will have to either drop a pacer or one of Axar or Jadeja. According to Mhambrey, both options are on the table, and the opposition and conditions will largely determine the decision.
“Dropping a seamer and playing a spinner, I think looking at the conditions but also the other thing that Axar does, he gives you that depth as well in terms of the batting which was pretty evident in the last game. Because we had to promote someone like him, we had to take a chance. He played a very critical role for the team, got those runs at that stage, because the ball was challenging at that situation. It was doing seeming, swinging. So, both ways, I think, bowling as well and batting as well," he said.
“It's [choosing batting depth over Kuldeep] purely on the opponents, purely on the surface. You feel maybe on the surface, you're happy. You need one extra bowler. We will go with that combination.”
Not letting the management overlook him because of his abilities with the bat, Kuldeep, too had a hit in the nets ahead of the clash against the co-hosts.
With one more win, India will qualify for the Super-8s. Given India are slated as A1 for the Super-8s, they will play their matches in Bridgetown, North Sound and Gros Islet. The pitches in the former two have been decent to bat on while there is yet a game to be played in Gros Islet.
If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out — big time. Play Fantasy on Cricket.com NOW! Download the App here.
