[ad_1]
For a World Cup to be won without blemish, history suggests that an epoch-defining array of cricketers is required. It needs the tactical acumen of a bespectacled Clive Lloyd, the genius of a gum-chewing Viv Richards and the pure pace of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding and other distinguished members of the fast-bowling cartel.
Or it needs the in-your-face aggression of Ricky Ponting, the belligerence of Adam Gilchrist and the nagging accuracy of Glenn McGrath.
In the 48 years since the World Cup began, only West Indies and Australia — their pre-eminence such that they will go down in the annals of the sport as the greatest teams ever – have won a World Cup without losing a game. So utterly dominant they were that they managed to do it twice – West Indies in 1975, 1979 and Australia in 2003, 2007.
On the back of India’s sixth straight win in this year’s World Cup, can Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and the rest dare to dream along those lines? Of not just winning the tournament but going undefeated through 11 games across 43 days?
Among many factors, it will require a defiance of the ‘law of averages’ argument that is prevalent across sport. Not backed by any statistical principle, it essentially works on the idea that it’s better to get a loss out of the way in the preliminary phase than winning all the games in the lead-up to a semi-final where the odds of a defeat may rise.
India, though, aren’t thinking that way. A loss for India at this stage when a semi-final spot is all but assured may not do much harm, but they go into their next match against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Thursday just as eager to win as they were at the start of the campaign.
“It’s extremely important to carry the momentum. It’s a World Cup. Every game is important. You need to keep ticking some box or the other in every game,” said India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.
While the Calypso kings of the late 1970s simply had no match, it’s important to put their World Cup winning streaks into perspective. In the inaugural edition in 1975, they had to win only five matches on the way to the title. Four years later, they had to win only four games with a fixture against Sri Lanka abandoned due to rain. The tournament was in its early years, and didn’t put teams through the rigorous examination of a long schedule that it does today.
By the time the Aussies became an irresistible force, they stitched together an 11-match winning run in two successive campaigns. Even Shane Warne’s positive dope test and subsequent ban on the eve of the tournament in South Africa couldn’t come in the way in 2003. But it’s not as though they weren’t tested.
At Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), a chase of 205 seemed out of reach until who else but Michael Bevan cobbled a 73-run partnership with Andy Bichel for the ninth wicket to edge a two-wicket win. At the same venue, a 96-run victory against New Zealand doesn’t convey the unease they may have felt when Shane Bond ripped through their top order with a spell of 10-2-23-6.
These tight games essentially allowed Australia to discover a little bit more about their players and check boxes before going into the semi-final against Sri Lanka. Andy Bichel, a sidekick to Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee in the pace attack, starred in both wins. The format was also such that a couple of defeats could imply a premature exit from the tournament.
There’s more wriggle room now, and India will welcome the challenges in their last two wins against New Zealand and Engand. In Dharamsala, the Indian bowlers had to pull things back after Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra’s 159-run stand seemed to set the Kiwis up for a total above 300. The fightback was mounted by Mohammed Shami, who dismissed the set batters en route to a five-wicket haul.
In Lucknow on Sunday, India’s batters managed to inch towards 229/9 on a sluggish surface favouring spin. Aside from Rohit Sharma top-scoring with 87, Suryakumar Yadav’s 49 provides comfort until the time Hardik Pandya returns to the fold. The bowlers, defending a total for the first time in the tournament, were so immaculate despite the dew that they skittled England for 129 in 34.5 overs.
“I think this was a challenging game. We needed this game as well. This was the first time that we batted first and defended a small target (in this tournament,” Mhambrey said. “Tough conditions, dew. Lot of things against us, but just the way we came back and fought, it was incredible.”
These games allow for a healthy reality check and also keep the players within the set-up on their toes. Shami’s special spell on Sunday, for instance, passes the message to Mohammed Siraj that his performances can’t slip.
It’s these internal standards – the cliché that they don’t focus on the opposition is a constant in every pre-match briefing – that have helped India win all their matches so far. Five of those have come chasing, but it’s the chase for perfection that may determine the eventual outcome of their campaign.
[ad_2]
Source link