India must give new faces a run

With their convincing win over the Sri Lankans in the first match of the Asia Cup, the Indians get the opportunity to try out a couple of players against the hosts Bangladesh today. While it is accepted that the best team should always take the field, the Indians have a few questions unanswered.

Rather than those questions surfacing in a must-win match, it is easier to look for the answers against a team that may not pose the challenge that other teams do. In saying this, Bangladesh's spirited display against Pakistan is not forgotten, but as far as tension and pressure is concerned, the Indians will feel that much more against Pakistan than against Bangladesh. That is why any experiments can be tried against the hosts.

The top order pretty much picks itself, though there is a case for Manoj Tiwary to be given a go and resting one of the two centurion's, Gambhir or Kohli, or even Raina. Also if one has to see who is in a better option as the fifth bowler, then both Jadeja and Yousuf Pathan should play together.

Danger of complacency

Tendulkar's form is a worry, since it has been unusually long since he got a big score and here one is not talking of hundreds. That we all know happened just over a year ago, but the 70s and 80s also haven't come recently. Bangladesh is just the kind of opposition against whom a bad patch can be broken, though there is also the danger of underestimation and losing one's wicket. It is far more difficult to get big scores against lesser opposition than better ones, simply because the intense focus and concentration that one summons against better teams is not quite there for the lesser ones, and as we all know all it takes is one mistake and the batsman is back in the dressing room kicking his heels.

India's bowling takes care of itself, with the new ball doing well and Ashwin showing that on a surface where there is a hint of turn he is hard to get away. Dhoni used his part-time bowlers smartly, rotating the quota between Jadeja, Raina and Sharma, and actually got more than the 10 overs that otherwise would have been bowled by the fifth bowler.

All-rounder's choice

This is where India have the advantage as their batsmen like Raina and Rohit Sharma can bowl, and Kohli also can roll his arm over. That is why India must quickly decide on the kind of batsman they want at number seven. Is it Jadeja or should it be Pathan? Jadeja is a fine prospect, but he has had his chances and has not quite grasped them. Ask the opposition who they do not want to see coming in to bat at number seven and they will say Pathan, because they know he can change the game in the few overs he gets to bat.

Having had a forgettable year after that glorious day in April last year, India have a chance to end this season with some silverware here.

Let's hope they grasp the chance and make it count.

— Professional Management Group