AUCKLAND // On February 8, India and Australia played a warm-up match at the Adelaide Oval. Australia were bowled out for 371 in 48.2 overs. The last 50 balls of the innings produced 103 runs.
Umesh Yadav, who went for 27 in an over, Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma were all in the firing line, and there was real concern over how India's bowlers would cope with the slog-overs mayhem.
They have not really had to. It is simplistic to attribute a change of fortune to just one ball, but ever since Shami got Younis Khan to fend awkwardly at a spitting-cobra delivery in the opening game, India’s quicks have been as good as any group in the competition.
Only once a quarter-final place was clinched did they concede more than 250 in an innings, to Ireland and Zimbabwe. But in both those matches, with India facing the prospect of having to chase well over 300, the pace trio were instrumental in laying waste to the lower order.
Ireland lost seven for 53 in 10 overs, while Zimbabwe’s collapse was six for 52 in 43 balls. On both occasions, in Hamilton and Auckland, there were not even long boundaries to protect. But a combination of pace, nous and subtle variations saw India bowl out the opposition for a sixth straight game.
This success against Zimbabwe, however, deserves far greater praise than the stroll to victory against the Irish. For all the jokes about its square boundaries being a handshake away, Eden Park has been no batting paradise down the years. India’s pursuit of 288 was the second-highest at the venue, and all the more special because they were in real trouble at 92 for four in the 23rd over.
Tinashe Panyangara had seen off both openers, while both Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane failed to build on starts. For Suresh Raina, who came in at No 5 and has often been accused of an Ian Bell-like conversion rate [four hundreds in 181 innings before Auckland], this was the ideal opportunity to showcase his worth to a side largely driven by a superb top order.
As for MS Dhoni, whose hunter-gatherer instincts seem to come to the fore in such situations, it was one more chance to illustrate how to chase down a target with a minimum of fuss. The two added 196 in 156 balls, moving through the gears as imperceptibly as a racing car down a long straight.
Zimbabwe, who had terrific opportunities to hurt South Africa and Pakistan earlier in the competition, did themselves no favours, with Hamilton Masakadza missing a simple catch when Raina had made just 47. Off the next 39 balls he faced, Raina took 62.
Like New Zealand, India finished the group stage with a perfect record. This tricky outing – and it certainly was that, with Brendan Taylor giving fearful tap to Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on his way to a marvellous 110-ball 138 – was the perfect preparation for a quarterfinal against a Bangladesh side that has made quantum leaps under the guidance of Chandika Hathurusingha and Heath Streak.
But games of cricket are not just about winning and losing. On this, Taylor’s last day as an international cricketer, it was lovely to see the Indian fielders recognise that. Because of the frosty relationship with the media, there is a perception of them being something of a brat pack. An emotional Taylor clearly did not think so, after the way they converged on him after he was out.
“It was nice from some of the Indian guys – Shikhar [Dhawan], Virat and Suresh came up to me,” he said. “That really was quite touching for me. They didn’t have to do that. They’re very established players, and that was a very nice touch.”
Follow us on twitter at @NatSportUAE
