Sarang Bhalerao@bhaleraosarang
Preparation comes first then skills to execute. Before talking about India v Pakistan game here's a very important point
Sikandar Raza, who plays in the LPL, told the dressing room to aim for 150+ and eventually team got 10-12% more runs. He knows conditions at R.Premadasa Stadium well. Many would've thought Bennett is playing a negative knock but Raza knew how crucial the knock was.
Raza got himself to bowl the first over - again it was for Head - the outcome wasn't favorable but there was preparation. The placement of fielders on square boundaries was spot on. Correct personnel was stationed in the deep. All these points are missed.
You saw Burl and Cremer - wrist spinners were effective.
This isn't a six hitting venue
So lessons for India v Pakistan game
- Not a bad idea to bat first - aim for 150-160 and get to 175 keeping wickets in hand. Rather than aiming for 180 and finishing under 150 - that may be game over unless some bowler has am exceptional day
- Ones and twos are very crucial. The shorter boundaries is behind the wicket. Teams could look to have LHB-RHB combination and sweeps - fine and reverse sweep are better options than trying to clear boundaries straight down the ground or in the cow corner
- Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy bowling wicket to wicket with enough protection in the sides could be attacking options.
- 3 or 4 spinners is an important call. It is upto the management if they see value in a swing bowler early on or go for the plan to bowl spin in the middle overs spreading Bumrah’s overs.
- Change of pace for pacers important rather than giving pace. Ramp shot is the key for batters to find boundaries
- Absolutely important for batting team to have an anchor till 15. KEY KEY POINT. Even if there's a good start in first 2-3 overs the team that has a set batter batting till 15th over will have a good chance
- India should not worry about Usman Tariq. Teams that have tried to slog v him have struggled. Plenty of options for 1s and 2s. Tilak will be crucial. He'll play those reverse sweeps v Nawaz, Shadab. India must attack Nawaz, Shadab. Play Saim as a leg spinner and play Usman on length and backfoot
Well that's as comprehensive as I can get. There are still a lot of things.
As I said, preparation is the key. Execution will happen if preparations are spot on