For a week now, ever since the tied match against England last Sunday and more rapidly after Ireland beat England, the mood among Indian fans seems to have swung from elation to apprehension to misanthropy. Some might argue that this is symptomatic of the obsession which has made India the El Dorado for cricket, but such fickleness can be bewildering nonetheless.
At a cricket event in Mumbai on Friday, a diehard was all frayed nerves and breathless anxiety. “If England forced India to a tie, but were beaten by Ireland, what chance do we have against this team?’’ he asked. Linear logic is hardly ever of great value in sport, but that explanation did little to allay the diehard’s fears.
All things considered, India’s record in the tournament (as yet) may not be spectacular, but is not dismal either to invite such widespread skepticism. True, the massive 338-run total against England could have been defended with tidier bowling and better fielding. But by and large the team has batted brilliantly, and looked deeply ambitious.
The win over Bangladesh was emphatic and the tied result against England was a thriller in which either side losing would have been a travesty. Borrowing some technical terms from another sport, some fine-tuning is necessary, but to believe that the engine had conked out is absurd.
In saying this, I obviously don’t mean that India should take Ireland lightly today; far from it. Such was the vigour and valour in Ireland’s performance against England that opponents would disregard them at their own peril. But this does not mean India should suddenly become so overly concerned as to be confounded.
Ireland have emerged as very good competitors playing a fearless brand of cricket that is both entertaining and challenging. India need to be acutely aware of the threat, but there is hardly need for panic-driven revision of game-plan or team personnel.
Take for instance the sudden clamour for five specialist bowlers instead of four that India have been picking. I think this is a largely academic argument and one which misses the woods for the trees. While there is clearly a need for the bowling to improve, it is not the fifth specialist bowler alone who can bring about the desired effect, but the four others who are already in the team.
So five or four, is not the issue, but bowling well is critical. If anything, India need to show more zest and surety in the fielding. Dropped catches and other lapses not only cost runs, but make bowlers often look far worse than they may have actually performed. In a tournament where teams are making skyscraper totals and still being overhauled by rivals, saving 10-15 runs in the field could make the vital difference.
On paper, compared to Ireland, India look formidable: in terms of talent, team balance and experience. As has also been seen in this tournament, the minnow teams lack the wherewithal to sustain excellence over several days or matches.
But Ireland will enjoy the prerogative of the underdog, which is to play without fear or pressure; with very little to lose and everything to gain.
As we saw in Kevin O’Brien’s sensational knock against England, this can inspire a sense of devil-may-care and derring-do which can become impossible to control if it gets out of hand. It was O’Brien the other day, it could be somebody else today. Dhoni and his team need to keep their wits about them at all times.
A victory over Ireland may not necessarily have long-term implications, but in the short run, it is an important psychological hump to overcome.