Mumbai: In the just-concluded T20I series, India’s bowling strategy was clear – get England with spin. They stuck to just one specialist pacer and packed the eleven with as many as four spin options. Their main weapon was Varun Chakravarthy, whose unorthodox style bamboozled the batters. He was accurate and the England batters just couldn’t read him. In a superb show, he captured 14 wickets in five games, at an economy rate of 7.67.
With their last-minute decision to add Chakravarthy to the ODI squad, India coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma have made it obvious that they are going to stick to the same bowling plan. India already have Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, and the Tamil Nadu bowler’s inclusion will make the spin attack formidable.
The question is whether Chakravarthy can make the same impact in the 50-over format. Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen backed the visitors to fare better against the spinner in the ODIs if they look to play him out. “The English batters would be better against him in the one-dayers because they can spend more time. It’s a longer format, not every ball is an event,” Pietersen said at a media interaction at an event to announce his business venture in India.
However, if England batters continue with their T20 approach instead against Chakravarthy, then his selection could prove a great move by India. From that point of view, Pietersen said: “I think it’s a great decision because Bazball is not for defending.”
Sticking to their ultra-attacking style under coach Brendon McCullum, England lost the T20I series 4-1. England had also lost last year’s Test series in India with McCulluam at the helm.
“They’re not (getting the results) in the Test arena. You only have to look at their statistics. We’ll have to wait and see what happens in white ball. They’ve only played a couple of games and they’ve lost their first series. I don’t think deep down if you ask them, they’re achieving the numbers that they want to achieve,” said Pietersen.
Rohit, Virat form?
At any other time in their careers, the names of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would evoke awe among opponents in white-ball cricket, especially 50-overs. It’s their favourite format, and the numbers speak for themselves. Kohli has 13,906 runs in ODIs with 50 hundreds, and Rohit 10,866 with 31 centuries.
Heading into a ODI series against England at home, for the first time the cricket fraternity is not sure what to expect from the two after their torrid run in recent Tests. With the selectors taking a big punt, the two senior batters’ performances will be crucial to India’s chances in the Champions Trophy starting on February 19.
Pietersen backed the ODI stalwarts. “When you look back and (think) how did they make you feel when they played? They made people feel happy. It’s not all about statistics, it’s not all about winning or losing, and you finish your career like I did, people talk to me about how I made them feel when I played. Virat makes people feel amazing. Rohit makes people feel amazing. So, they should be celebrated, people shouldn’t be giving them a constant stick,” the former England batting stalwart said.
T20 influence on ODIs
“The influence on the one-day game is when (Gautam) Gambir was talking to us the other evening, he was talking about how fast-paced India is going to play and how aggressive India is going to play. His mantra is to just be ultra-positive. And I think there’s a thing called Bazball. Bazball’s not for defending. So, I think it’s going to be a very positive series. From that standpoint, I think we’re going to be entertained by quality players, and teams because you’ve got quality players on both sides. You’ve got Joe Root coming back, then you’ve got Rohit and you’ve got Virat, Yashasvi Jaiswal coming back. It’s going be a brilliant series.”
On Abhishek Sharma
“I said to him (after meeting at the Wankhede Stadium) that that was the best innings I have ever seen (54-ball 135). The strokeplay was phenomenal. There was no hanky-panky, reverse sweep scooping, sweeping, ramping, rubbish. It was the most unbelievable strokeplay. It was the perfect innings. Not many in T20 cricket can make 150 and play the perfect innings. That was the perfect innings (and at) Wankhede where it bounces and it’s fast. You have Sanju Samson who walks back on to his stumps and is intimidated by the short ball. Abhishek is (was) running at Archer… boom, hitting him. It’s just phenomenal. phenomenal. So happy for him, (he’s got a) very good eye.”
On IPL owners buying English teams
Indian ownership in The Hundred has been the talk of England. Pietersen said: “At the end of the day, you are an absolute idiot if you don’t think India runs the world of cricket and anyone arguing against that clearly is deluded. So, when you see what India is doing for global cricket, the amount of cash that’s being injected into this last couple of weeks, in English cricket, it’s amazing for world cricket. My buddies were the ones that took Lord’s and the amount of money they’re spending just on Lord’s is ridiculous. I don’t think the ECB ever in their wildest imagination thought they were going to be able to accrue that sort of number just from one team.
“It’s amazing for English cricket because there’s a lot of the counties in English cricket that are really struggling. With this cash injection, and the majority of it, as you would likely say is Indian based, is amazing.
“Those are just trophy assets. I mean, owning Lord’s is a major trophy asset and the Oval is a major trophy asset (for the Ambanis). I mean, GMR now having all of Hampshire is a major trophy asset. Goenka might have bought Manchester yesterday? It’s LSG now, Old Trafford, I mean, that goes, it’s right next to the football stadium (of Manchester United) (in) Manchester. It’s a major, major asset.”