Welcome home the squad after a 50:50 power show in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2012 at Colombo. Eliminated from the Super Eight stage, India is now pondering as to what went wrong and why it had to take a return flight, from the island nation, so soon. The same question that has been lingering on all minds when the team falters, remove the excess baggage. And the first people to get the bricks and bats would be the seniors. However this time it was on and off form of the entire squad that played the difference and we are back home enjoying the TV innings of other matches.
None from the batting front were consistent with permanent failures from most. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir ended up with the most dismal performance. Then we had Virat Kohli who was the purple boy of the team but failed in the South African encounter. Irfan Pathan, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina were again choosy. Yuvraj Singh did not help with the willow but played a crucial role in handling the ball. However that was not the only thing that was expected of him. Lastly, skipper M S Dhoni in the dugout and going out at number six or seven has not really served the purpose.
On the bowling fronts. Harbhajjan Singh who played a magnificent innings in the English encounter failed to find place in the playing XI against South Africa. Whereas the later are timid against spinners, hence Bhajju was the best gamble. Zaheer Khan has lost his sheen. And of course no complains on L Balaji, R Ashwin or P Chawla. But they need to be more match winning performers.
Shedding excess baggage or mentoring the existent players, changing the captain or naming different captains for different formats, whatever! The retrospection must be done. Trouble shooting needs to be taken up at a brisk pace. Things have to be set right as the extended season of game is in the anvil. And mind you the intensity becomes more painful to know that since winning the T20 World Cup in 2007, the national side has not entered the semis stage. (With inputs from internet-AW AarKay)
