India's search for first win continues (Preview)

India’s disastrous tour to England thus far is a classic example of clichéd saying, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. As of now, nothing seems to go India’s way. The tourists have been bullied, bruised and outplayed. Things are going downhill with a spate of injuries the team is facing.

Every other day adds to long list of injured players during the current tour. After losing key players like Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir during the course of the four match test series, Rohit Sharma joined the pack after ruled out of the ODI series thanks to a blow he received on his finger while fending off a nasty lifter from Stuart Broad in the first game of the five match ODI series. To top that Sachin Tendulkar’ availability for the rest of the tour still hangs in balance after master blaster felt recurrence of a toe injury that has troubled him in the past.

For every injured a replacement is sought and demand has almost led to bench strength resources falling dry. MS Dhoni’s men can well be dubbed as walked wounded. Yet to get off the mark against England on the tour, India were controlling the first ODI till heavens opened up forcing the abandonment of the game. It robbed India of their best chance of defeating England. Yet India would have taken heart from the abandoned match.

Despite experiencing a couple of mini-collapses in the batting, Indian batsmen managed a more than competitive total. Praveen Kumar’s controlled swing and seam bowling had England’s chase on the mat upfront removing both the openers cheaply. India were on the top but rain played the spoilsport.

Having being handicapped by the services of their top four batters, Parthiv Patel, debutant Ajinkye Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Dhoni were amongst runs against the England attack that tormented them in the lop-sided test series. This bodes well as India searches for its first victory against the home team.

For India to get off the mark, their batters need to make most of the starts they get. The focus should be on playing long innings. With Tendulkar almost certain to miss out, India’s opening pair of Parthiv and Patel will not be tinkered with. All-rounder Ravindu Jadeja is strong contender to replace Rohit. Bowling line is almost expected to be the same that played in the first one-dayer.

For India to make an impression, they need to get the poor performance and injury problems out of their system and back themselves to play like world champions.

England would feel that rain got them out of the tricky situation. What should please English skipper and team management is that fact that their bowlers were able to pull things back when Indian batsmen were all set for the charge. And good thing about their effort was their ability to peg India back by taking wickets and stem the run flow in the death over which has been Achilles heel for the side in last five years or so.

In ace offie Graeme Swann’s absence, left arm spinner stepped up to the plate bowling ten tight overs and taking a wicket as well. It will be interesting who England dispense with when Swann returns to the side. Yet again batting effort will be shouldered by likes of Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan. Skipper Alastair Cook needs to emulate the way he batted against Sri Lanka early this summer.

England, in this form, are favourites deny India first win but tourists have still got the ammunition to upset the home team.

England squad: Alastair Cook (capt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Craig Kieswetter (wk), Eoin Morgan, Samit Patel, Ben Stokes, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott

India Squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Sachin Tendulkar, Ravindu Jadeja, Ajinkye Rahane, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli,  Parthiv Patel (wk), Amit Mishra, R Ashwin, Varun Aaron, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar, Manoj Tiwari