DUBAI, United Arab Emirates —
Rohit Sharma’s
India have been slammed for “chopping and changing” as they failed to make the
final of the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament with a game to go.
اضافة اعلان
Pakistan’s win over Afghanistan on Wednesday knocked
out India from the tournament, which was a warm-up for next month’s T20 World
Cup.
India, who won the previous Asia Cup in 2018 played
in a 50-over format, came in as pre-tournament favorites but lost their first
two Super Four matches to Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“I think there was too much chopping and changing
done after just one defeat,” former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel told
website cricbuzz.
“We lost against Pakistan and made three-four
changes.”
India’s tinkering was not confined to the latter
stages: Dinesh Karthik had been wicketkeeper for India’s opening win against
Pakistan, but Rishabh Pant was brought back behind the stumps for the next
match.
Karthik, a hard-hitting batsman who specializes as a
finisher in the short format, missed both Super Four matches as the left-handed
Pant was retained in the middle-order.
“The consistency and the clarity of thought is so
important, especially when you play this T20 format,” said Patel.
“Dinesh Karthik came in and he was left (out).
Rishabh Pant came in and would be thinking whether I am a permanent member of
the team or not.”
Former India captain
Sunil Gavaskar blamed an
inability to be flexible with onfield plans for India’s disappointing results.
“Too much theory ... is not a very good thing. What
happens on the field is completely different,” Gavaskar told India Today.
“You have to have a Plan A, B, and C, which is where
the Indian team in this particular tournament has not had alternate plans.”
“They seem to have been stymied when things started
to unravel for them.”
“Cricket is a game that changes in seconds,
particularly the T20 format, and you’ve got to be ready for it.”
Shami sidelined
India can start to put things right when they play Afghanistan in a
dead rubber Super Four Asia Cup match in Dubai on Thursday.
They will have home series against Australia and
South Africa to cement their team plans before the T20 World Cup begins on
October 16 in Australia.
India’s lone T20 World Cup success came at the
inaugural tournament in 2007, and Gavaskar implored the team to “please see the
areas where you can improve and plug those gaps”.
India remain top of the T20 team rankings but have
constantly faltered at global international tournaments with their last
International Cricket Council title coming at the 2013 Champions Trophy.
India failed to make the semi-finals of last year’s
T20 World Cup in the UAE and in 2019 lost in the semifinals of the 50-over
World Cup in England.
But captain Rohit played down his team’s Asia Cup
failure after they lost a close match to
Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
“In tournaments like the World Cup, Asia Cup, here
the challenge is you face different teams with different plans,” said Rohit.
“But we should not think about it too much. Yes,
pressure is there, and our work is to make the boys realize how to deliver in
pressure situations.”
Former coach Ravi Shastri criticized the team
choices and remained puzzled by the exclusion of veteran pace bowler Mohammed
Shami.
“I am completely amazed to see how Mohammed Shami
has been sidelined by the current Indian team management and the selectors,”
Shastri said on Star Sports.
Injuries to pace spearhead
Jasprit Bumrah and
Harshal Patel made India turn to Avesh Khan, who fell sick in Dubai and was
unavailable for selection in the last two matches.
“The Indian bowling hasn’t looked that effective in
this year’s Asia Cup,” said Shastri.
“And a veteran like Shami should have certainly made it to
the squad.”
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