Despite India's issues, Pakistan will face a team at home on the big stage

India’s fate in this World Cup will depend on the playing 11 they pick. There is enough title-winning ability in the squad, and if players are picked on current reality and pure cricketing logic, India have a great shot at the title, writes Sanjay Manjrekar.

India-Pakistan matches of late have been about all the hype and build-up coming crashing down when on-field reality checked in. Pakistan have simply not been good enough to challenge India for the actual match to live up to the hype. 

What can Pakistan conjure to trump MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli's sets of plans? (Getty)

It’s the reverse of the situation we had in the ‘80s and ‘90s when Pakistan was a formidable side under Imran, and like Pakistan does now, India would beat them only sporadically, mostly in ICC tournaments.   

Pakistan too beat India only intermittently now, like in a Champions Trophy, a world event that even die-hard fans of the game would struggle to remember past winners of.

Interestingly, while being a part of the Indian team that would get soundly beaten by Pakistan, I would secretly wish our temperament was like them; not just highly skilled but that Pakistan team had street smart and supremely confident players, even overseas against top teams.

India are now the Pakistan of the 80s and 90s while Pakistan today are a team full of self-doubt, and on the big stage a bit nervous, especially against India.   

Like how we felt deep down then, this Pakistan too know that this India are the better side, the stronger team that’s true champion material and they look at beating Pakistan as a small step, a formality to be completed on the way to winning the title. 

Indian players will play along with the hype and say things like “yes, it’s a massive game”, etc., but this Indian team would be clearly more wary of West Indies and England in this T20 WC than Pakistan. 

Having said that, India, though high on T20 pedigree, are presently not in the ‘pink of health’, to use a vintage phrase. When you look at a few individuals you will see they are going through personal issues.   

Virat has never looked so out of form as he has of late. Rohit Sharma in the IPL, I felt, was mentally jaded after that England series where he played a ‘marathon game’ alien to him. When one does that, it just saps you even more. Hope he has recovered from that and is mentally fresh after a little break. 

Then there is Surya and Ishaan who have had only a couple of good innings after an extended run of wretched form. They aren’t like how they were a year back - cruising on high confidence and batting like you do only in a dream. 

Hardik Pandya is not just short on confidence but fitness too, and if he can’t bowl (even if it’s at least two overs) his batting must reach much greater heights than we have seen in the IPL. This Hardik is now the kind where you are hoping—tonight could be his night. 

That's not good enough from a pure batter that India wants. He is nothing like he was 18 months back. Hardik surprised me particularly, as to how emphatically he justified his place in the Indian white-ball team in Australia as a pure batter. 

Rishabh Pant. Again not the Pant in T20 cricket of recent past, and the same can be said of Bhuvi. 

This may seem like I am painting a gloomy picture of India, but these are undeniable facts. And this is where Indian cricket is in a great place compared to other nations. Even in this state, India can beat Pakistan quite easily. Why?   

Because despite a few players not being at their peak, their approach and their body language on the field won’t reflect that, and that’s what Pakistan will encounter—a team that is at home on the big stage, bubbling with confidence only aiming for the big prize, and not seeking little, gratifying moments along the way in the tournament. This, by the way, is Dhoni and Virat's legacy on Indian cricket. 

If Hardik can't bowl, the balance of the team is a concern. I don't think Jadeja is still a ‘4-over guaranteed’ bowler like Chahal, Chahar or Varun. 

CSK went with only five bowlers with Jadeja being one of them and had to quickly change that plan in the IPL before last. India too will have to replicate it. Dhoni may just whisper this in the ear of Virat.   

Is that why Virat bowled a couple of overs in the warm-up game? On the kind of pitches like we have in the UAE, if Virat can roll in a couple of overs maximum, at 8 runs an over, that’s gold dust, to cover up for a bowler having a bad night, an event that afflicts all teams every second night. Venkatesh Iyer did that superbly for KKR. 

I would look at Bhuvi closely and not get swayed by past reputation. Is he likely to add more value than Shardul? Only then you play him in the 11. Against Pakistan, India should go in with Rahul Chahar and Varun as the spinners and go back to that model when India were winning almost every white-ball game, when their spinners were getting wickets in the middle and making life easier for the seam bowlers, who are always bowling the tough overs. Really, for me India’s fate in this WC will depend on the playing 11 they pick. 

For, there is enough title-winning ability in the squad, and if players are picked on current reality and pure cricketing logic rather than on a whim, India have a great shot at the title.

I hope Virat does not overthink his team selection like he did in the 2019 WC, when after one loss to England he dumped India's winning mantra and created new and bigger problems for himself. If not anywhere else, this is where I expect Dhoni to play a role, help Virat and Shastri pick better elevens. India should be okay then.

IPL 2024