Sachin Tendulkar celebrates with team mates after catching out Kumar Sangakkara at The Gabba. (Getty Images)
By Ajit Vijaykumar
Sydney (Mail Today): Being on the far corner of New South Wales, Sydney has for long been in love with the surf, sand and sun as bikers, skateboarders and runners crisscross its reverberating streets almost throughout the year.
The Indian team would do well to peek out of their rooms and try to catch the Sydney bug. The distinct lack of spunk in the side, despite the infusion of supposed fresh legs, has seen the leader’s spot being snatched away from them. Two defeats in three days at the Gabba have taken their points tally to 10 from six games, behind Australia (14 from five) and Sri Lanka (11 from five).
The calculations have turned interesting as India will have to keep a tab on the results of other two games between Australia and Sri Lanka. With four games to go in the tri-series, the simplest strategy for India would be to win their two games and enter the best of three finals.
Since that doesn’t look likely given the apparent internal differences and obnoxious batting displays, hoping for other results going their way would be the next best thing.
If India don’t win a game, it would be the end of the road for them. However, if India manage to, say, lose to the Aussies here on Sunday and then beat Sri Lanka in Hobart, they will have to hope Sri Lanka lose both their games against Australia as even one win against the hosts would take their tally to 15 points and send the Islanders into the final on account of the bonus win they had in Sydney last week.
If India beat Australia and lose to Sri Lanka, and the hosts lose to Sri Lanka both their games, it would be down to the net run rate. India currently are on - 0.733 and Australia on +. 433.
The interesting aspect here is that the crucial last game of the round robin games is between Australia and Sri Lanka. Both teams would, by that time, know if the race to the finals is still on and play accordingly.
Even a win against Australia at the SCG on Sunday would only put the Indians tied along with the hosts on 14 points, still well behind in net run rate.
In the past, whenever India have had to bring out their calculators to see if they would be able to sneak through to the next stage, more often than not, it has been on the back of some atrocious cricket.
It is incredulous that India are grappling in a format they championed less than a year back against teams who looked stronger back then.
If the Indians find themselves staring down the barrel and the points table sheet by the next few games, it would be an apt pointer of where Indian cricket stands right now — in a dark alley with no shelter, hoping for a bail-out.
The Indian boat seems to be sinking and unless skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni gets through to his crew soon, it would be time to abandon ship.
Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2012. MTNPL. All rights reserved.
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