India hope for game time for bowlers

Although the batting display wasn’t impressive, save for two inspiring knocks, the fact that India’s bowlers didn’t get a chance to roll their arms over will be of bigger concern to coach Rahul Dravid. 

Given the number of days left for the World Cup, any and all games will be essential to decipher combinations and test the legs, and that washed-out game against Pakistan threw a spanner in the works. 

This is why the Monday game against Nepal at the Pallekele stadium assumes significance. Yes, it should be a walk in the park, but it’s time and practice the Indians are after, and should rain not dampen the spirits again, batters and bowlers will have plenty of time in the sun.  

Given that India will qualify for the Super Four even if the game is washed out, Rohit Sharma’s men will have the luxury to work out individual goals. 

And that, unfortunately, was only utilised by Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya on Saturday. 

Kishan’s 82 at No.5 and Pandya’s 87 were the cornerstone of India’s 266 all out in 48.5 overs, and given that they were struggling at 66 for 4 at one stage, these knocks were integral to India’s resistance in the face of Pakistan’s pace-fuelled excellence. 

Besides saving face, those two knocks also gave the management a chance to gauge Kishan’s middle-order abilities and reiterate Pandya’s return to being a threatening No.6 option. Of more significance was the way in which both the batters played out the difficult phases before going on the offensive, meaning they didn’t accelerate prematurely. 

Of course, they would have preferred to go the distance and see out the rest of the overs, but the game against Nepal is a chance to do exactly that, should they, so low in the order, even get the chance. 

The same sentiment will be adopted by the top four who didn’t have answers to Pakistan’s pace trio. 

In that sense, this game against Nepal is right down India’s lane for it gives them ample chance to build confidence before stronger oppositions come their way in Sri Lanka and in series to come. 

That includes Jasprit Bumrah, who only just returned from a long injury layoff. He was in fine shape during the prior series against Ireland, but this is a chance for him to work on his craft over longer spells at home conditions. In Ireland, he got to bowl a couple of times and looked good, but these were four-over spells. 

Now, with the World Cup more or less settled on, those who made the cut will want to show up in their finest, anything less will certainly induce doubt. 

That Nepal are likely recipients to another hammering does feel gauche, but this is learning ground and you have to start somewhere. After all, every team in this tournament went through these ranks and grew to become good, some even became world champions.