Since the victory over Sri Lanka in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, at Mumbai, a lot has changed in Indian cricket, with regard to attitude, personnel and tactics. Let’s take a look at some of these changes:
1. Fielding has Drastically improved
The outfielding of the Indian cricket team at present is arguably the best fielding unit in world cricket. Players like Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have come in to replace the ageing bodies in players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and others, adding an electric charge to the Indian team as a unit.
2. The young blood is starting to step up
The exodus after the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup caused many names to go in and out of the team, and the encouraging thing to notice is the emergence of the youth in the Indian cricket scene. Players like Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya among others have started to shine, and cementing places for themselves.
3. The growth of Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, in the last 6 years has grown into debatably the best batsman on the planet, in all formats of the game. Not only has he been smashing records as a master craftsman with the bat, he has started to grow in maturity and has begun to gain experience in leading a team.
4. The lifting of a burden off MS Dhoni’s shoulders
MS Dhoni, having given up the captaincy after winning every single accolade there is to win, has finaly been freed of the shackles of captaincy, and in his twilight years can hope to focus completely on honing his destructive ability with the bat, making him the world’s most feared finisher once again.
5. The emergence of Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya has proven to be one of Indian cricket’s most valuable finds in recent years. He has proved himself on multiple occasion with the bat and ball, even on the biggest of stages. Although he has a while to go, and can learn a lot more, he is shaping up to be one of the players who can rarely be dropped. Pandya’s presence in the playing XI gives MS Dhoni more freedom to go and express himself in the middle. And, this is surely a big boost for Dhoni and India.
6. The opening partnership is looking extremely solid
The thought of replacing the opening partnership of “Sachin&Sehwag” was a very worrying one for indian cricket fans and administrators alike. However, over the last 4 years, after having experimented with various combinations, India seems to have found the ideal opening partnership in Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. The left right combination working well along with the attacking style of both players.
7. India have started to believe in a formula
MS Dhoni loved to chase, and one couldn’t disagree with him after one glance at the batting sheet that he had with him, him included. Virat Kohli has become one of the best chasers the game has ever seen, and now the Indian team looks comfortable chasing, and seem to back themselves to chase most targets, and don’t look out of place when asked to bowl first.
8. The Ashwin/Jadeja combination
Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja have become one of the best spin combos in the world, with one being a left arm round-armer while the other is a right armed orthodox (you could say) off spinner. Jadeja gets through his overs in no time, at a great economy rate, while Ashwin is constantly testing the batsman’s guile and thinking capability.
9. The Jack of All trades, Ajinkya Rahane
The Indian team have done extremely well in finding and grooming a player like Ajinkya Rahane, who is technically sound and extremely flexible, when it comes to the batting order. He has been asked to open the innings, play at no.3, no.4 and others. He is a great fielder too, and is thus a greatly versatile player.
10. A sense of belief
Ever since Dhoni became captain, the indian team has become one that has the belief to take on any team in the world, and come out on top. They look like a team that could go on to dominate the game the way the Australians did for close to a decade, and Virat Kohli’s men seem to have the ideal mix of balance and aggression.
By Aravind Harish
