By Anil Kumble
The first round of the World T20 is over and done with and we are into the Super 8s. With no points being carried over, the past is history and all teams will have to begin afresh. For the Indians, the first big test with apologies to Bangladesh is on Friday against the West Indies. As per the seedings they were to meet Australia but the team from the Carribean, just like cricket itself, is a most unpredictable one and on their day, they can do just about anything, like they did against the Aussies.
One thing the Indians will have to use their advantage is the fact that the Windies are a little too dependent on Chris Gayle. He can blow you away when he gets going but if he himself is gone, the team gets a little deflated. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a spinner bowl at him early on and try and upset his rhythm a little. All batsmen, especially opening bats, like the ball to come on and when you deny them pace, they could lose it. Of course, they could go berserk too but its risk worth taking. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is an apt saying.
Spin, for sure, will continue to play a big part. On Tuesday we saw my IPL team colleague Roelf van der Merwe spin it a lot at Lords against New Zealand and it is a factor the Indians are well placed to exploit. I dont see any reason for them not to go in with two specialist spinners in the Super 8s as well. Should Zaheer and Ishant step up as can be expected, the bowling will not be too easy to handle.
The West Indies on the other hand will breathe a bit easier knowing that Virendra Sehwag is out. Like Gayle, Viru is the type who can single-handedly take the game away from the opposition. Then again this Indian team does not depend on any one player, thats the beauty of this team. They have enough firepower right through and Virus replacement at the top, Rohit Sharma, has been on a roll. The last match he played here, he got a quickfire 80 against Pakistan in a warm-up match, sending their bowlers on a real leatherhunt.
To continue with leatherhunts, what Gayle dished out to Australia, Sanath Jayasuriya did to the Windies on Wednesday. Sanaths usefulness is not just with the bat for he can bowl to and since he complements spinners like Murali and Mendis, Sri Lanka are always able to field a balanced side. Their spinners are bound to prove a handful in the second stage and their opponents who include New Zealand, Pakistan and an unlikely Ireland will have to be real careful.
India, on that count, are in a relatively tougher group and will have to at least beat two out of South Africa, England and the Windies to make the semis but I have always believed that there is no bad time to play a tough opponent. If you have to win a tourament, you will have to beat all the tough teams, some of them once and some twice. And India are certainly capable of doing just that.
HAWKEYE COMMUNICATIONS
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