india's future is in their mind and in their speed on the field

india might still turn things around but they have been disappointing. i have often talked about this new generation being fearless but twice in two games (an under strength ireland side isn't the right laboratory for observation) india have played cautious cricket and that is inexplicable. and on each occasion they have needed yuvraj singh to bail them out. against bangladesh india looked headed for 150 when gambhir and dhoni were limiting their vision with singles and against the west indies india were 66-4 in the 13th over. the young men who were the cream of their ipl franchises are leaving their supporters a bit worried.

against the west indies, india's dot ball percentage was 48 and that is unpardonable. you can get away with it if there are a lot of boundaries but letting ones and twos go means you are letting go the opportunity of scoring risk free runs.

in particular i have been a bit puzzled by dhoni’s batting. for a long time we have tried to explain it by saying he likes to control the innings and brings a sense of calm to a side that seems to play in fourth gear all the time. but i have begun to suspect that batting for so long in one style has made this his instinctive style. it can happen. an off spinner who only bowls doosras loses his offbreak. a serious writer in search of parody loses his sense of gravity. maybe the way out is to rediscover his old, destructive style of batting in the nets. one hopes that in adjusting his style to balance what the others are doing, he hasn't lost his own.

if india play with freedom they will beat england. but if they look weary (there are too few fielders in this side who allow use of the word brilliant alongside their name) they might get some rest they don't need. india's future is in their mind and in their speed on the field.