Weaned on a diet of limited-overs cricket, the Indians will have to hit the ground running as they get their Twenty20 World Cup campaign under way against unheralded but hardly unthreatening Scotland at Kingsmead on Thursday evening. The gulf in class between India and Scotland is all too obvious, but if there is a common thread running through the two teams, it is that these are the two most inexperienced teams in the fray.
India's lone Twenty20 fixture was against South Africa some nine months back in Johannesburg, while the Scots -- who came through the World Cricket League -- will also have one game under their belt, their Cup opener against Pakistan here on Wednesday. If that is the leveller Ryan Watson's team hopes to ride on to run India close, they might be clutching at straws. Saying that, India will be well aware of the first-hurdle syndrome that manifested itself through defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in the World Cup earlier this year.
For the first time in over a decade, India go into a significant international tournament -- never mind that several might debate the use of those last three words -- minus all of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. In an interesting development, the trio made itself unavailable for this competition, citing a packed calendar ahead. Given that this is pehaps their only chance of playing in a World Cup of this format, it was also a monumental decision as well as an indicator to the seriousness -- or lack of it -- they attach to a version somewhat disparagingly called 'Disco Cricket.'
Big responsibility
Be that as it may, the troika's absence affords the younger guns a chance to stand up and be counted, aware that the responsibility is entirely upon them to pull the team along. Come to think of it, the future of Indian cricket in the post Tendulkar-Dravid-Ganguly era will be on view here, and how they stand up to the rigours -- albeit in a relatively unfamiliar version -- will be viewed with great interest.
It is not so much about the runs they conjure as the manner in which they acquit themselves that will be crucial to determining if they have the character to move on to bigger things. Of course, several of them have been around for a while now, but the likes of Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan and the interpid, free-stroking Robin Uthappa will all look upon this competition as an opportunity to firmly establish themselves in the selectorial eye.
Dhoni’s role
Also under the microscope will be Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batsman has surged ahead of the likes of Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh in the national captaincy stakes -- even if temporarily. How he handles the demanding treble responsibilities of marshalling his resources, keeping his focus behind the sticks and brandishing his willow in front of it will make for a fascinating viewing.
Among others in the spotlight will be the returning trio of Sehwag, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan, all desperate to make an impact right at the beginning of a season of great importance and gruelling challenges. As such, whilst Dhoni doesn't exactly have an embarrassment of riches to choose from, he will have to exercise his grey cells a great deal to arrive at the right combination not just for the morrow, but with the big one against Pakistan on Friday in mind.
India will most certainly not take the Scots for granted. A fair few of them play County cricket in England, and in Dougie Brown and Gavin Hamilton, they have men who have actually been a part of English elevens in international cricket. Scotland will perhaps seek to draw inspiration from fellow amateurs Ireland's performances at the World Cup proper, but this ought to be a chasm too wide for them to bridge.
Teams (from):
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Rudra Pratap Singh, S Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, Ajit Agarkar, Dinesh Kaarthick, Harbhajan Singh, Joginder Sharma.
Scotland: Ryan Watson (capt), John Blain, Dougie Brown, Gordon Drummond, Gavin Hamilton, Majid Haq, Ross Lyons, Gregor Maiden, Neil McCallum, Dewald Nel, Navdeep Poonia, Qasim Sheikh, Colin Smith, Fraser Watts, Craig Wright.
Umpires: Simon Taufel and Steve Davis (both Australia). Third umpire: Billy Doctrove (West Indies).
Match referee: Mike Procter (South Africa).