India Must Sharpen the Basics to Keep World Cup Hopes Alive

 

India women (PC: BCCI Women)

Boria Majumdar, Manchester

India versus Bangladesh could well turn into a one-sided affair. India, on paper, are the stronger side and will need a convincing win to ensure their net run rate stays comfortably ahead of South Africa. The immediate task is to put the Australia game aside and concentrate fully on Bangladesh. One step at a time, as they say. There were several areas of concern in the South Africa match, and each of them needs to be ironed out at Old Trafford later today.

It was encouraging to see the Indians practising slower balls and yorkers in two intense training sessions leading up to the game. However, the obvious question is: why now and not earlier? As highlighted in the South Africa post-match analysis, there was a glaring lack of yorkers against the Proteas. Bouncers, too, were largely absent. Interestingly, both were on display in training over the past two days. While better late than never, it does raise questions about why such specialised drills were not implemented sooner.

Another notable feature of India’s practice sessions was range-hitting. Almost every player focused on clearing the boundary with big shots. What would be equally valuable, however, is a greater sense of urgency in running between the wickets. Old Trafford is a large ground, and while South Africa consistently converted singles into twos, India failed to do so on multiple occasions. These seemingly minor aspects can prove decisive, especially in tight contests.

Against Bangladesh, India will need more intensity when building partnerships. South Africa rode on one substantial stand to close out the game. India, in contrast, had several promising starts but failed to convert any into a significant innings. There wasn’t a single partnership of 50, and addressing this issue is critical ahead of the final group game at Lord’s.

Finally, the team must believe that Australia are beatable, just as they were in the 50-over semi-final last year. Any side aspiring to win a World Cup must overcome the very best. For now, the focus should be on securing a comprehensive win today and then treating the Australia clash as a one-off opportunity to give it everything.

There were two separate huddles during training yesterday – one led by the coach and the other by the captain. Both will need to step up. Harmanpreet Kaur will be aware that calls for a change in leadership will grow louder if India fail to reach the semi-finals. Similarly, Amol Muzumdar will understand that a group-stage exit could stall the sport’s growing momentum.

The next four days could prove defining. A win against Bangladesh, followed by an extraordinary effort against Australia, is what the nation hopes for. The moment has arrived – and the players know it.

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