India must add depth to bowling

Bengaluru: India came into their fourth World Cup game against Australia on Sunday with two key issues to address: tackling opponents’ spin and managing their bowling depth. 

And for almost 3.5 hours on Sunday, as India scored 330 batting first, the team management would have breathed a little easy. 

After having lost 14 wickets to spin in the first three games, India found a way to tackle it and scored 164 runs in 23 overs. 

The relaxed ambience in the change room, however, began to turn anxious as Healy pressed the accelerator from the start of the chase. 

And a few hours later, it was deja vu as India lost their appetite for the second time and slipped to as many defeats in the space of three days. 

An off-colour Indian side will now face England and the happy selection headaches have turned into a migraine.

The management needs to accept that the bowling attack lacks experience. Kranti Gaud, among India’s promising talents, is young and might not be fully ready to lead an attack with just another all-round pace option. 

And this is where India could use Renuka Singh, a genuine wicket-taker with the new ball and someone who could bring her experience at the backend, adding variety to an unidimensional attack. 

“Obviously, after this game (Australia), we’ll have a look at it (five-bowler strategy) and I’m sure the team management will have a proper discussion about it and then we’ll take a right call as we approach the next game,” head coach Amol Muzumdar said in the post-match press conference.

The four specialist bowler strategy comes with a massive risk and doesn’t allow any bowler to have a bad day. This rarely happens on flat surfaces conducive to batting, especially when bowlers use soap-like balls once dew takes over. 

India’s two seamers – Kranti and Amanjot – conceded 99 runs in 14.5 overs against South Africa and 141 in 18 overs against Australia.  Worse, they leaked a combined 30 runs in 47th and 49th overs, allowing South Africa to get out of the woods from a potentially losing position. And such slips ups are not good enough for a World Cup hopeful side. However, India have the liberty to bring in the experienced Renuka.

The only question: for whom among Jemimah Rodrigues or Harleen Deol?

If they go with the extra bowler, India also have the luxury of Sneh Rana, who is averaging 44.50 and striking at 114.10, batting at eight, adding an extra layer of safety net. 

So with the batting down to No. 8, Renuka’s wicket-taking ability and her experience in leading the bowling attack should outweigh the runs an extra batter potentially brings. 

All in all, one of Harleen or Jemimah will have to make way for possibly 10 overs of pace, which could affect a malfunctioning batting line-up but that’s the risk the hosts should be willing to take.