When the tournament began, many thought India would start experimenting by the time they faced Ireland. However, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is in no mood to try anything new, especially after Ireland stunned England on Wednesday. On Sunday, when India take on the Associate team at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here, Dhoni is likely to go in with his tried and tested XI, comprising seven batsmen and four bowlers. India are likely to go in with two pacers and two spinners. R Ashwin and Piyush Chawla will vie for the second spinner’s spot.
“It is not a seamer-friendly wicket and as the game progresses, the ball comes nicely to the bat. There is no extra pace for the fast bowlers,” Dhoni said on Saturday. His comments indicated that he’d go with two spinners. After all, the wicket here has always helped tweakers. Moreover, Ireland haven’t looked all that comfortable against the turning ball.
So, who will partner Harbhajan Singh? “Piyush is the one who takes the ball away and has a wrong ’un. Ashwin has done exceptionally well whenever he has played. He has bowled even in the first 10 overs. We will pick the one who is more suitable for that particular game,” Dhoni said.
But at the same time, Dhoni will also know that Chawla was India’s hero when the two countries met in Belfast four years ago. The leg-spinner had picked up three wickets in that match, including that of Kevin O’Brien.
In fact, India don’t want to take any chance as far as O’Brien is concerned. On Friday evening, bowling coach Eric Simons had a special session with the Indian bowlers at the team hotel. Zaheer Khan & Co were shown footage of the 27-year-old’s knock on Wednesday. Simons also beamed a few of the batsman’s county innings.
On the other hand, Ireland will be hoping to cause another upset. The visitors have nothing to lose, but the expectations are high this time around. People back home — and in India —will want them to put up a spirited display.
All eyes will be on O’Brien, but can Ireland’s bowlers contain the strong Indian line-up batsmen on a wicket that has already produced close to 1,400 runs in two matches? Ireland will also be hoping to defy the common belief that minnows can’t cause two successive upsets.
India will be expected to fire on all cylinders, but their fielding remains a concern. It could well be a one-sided affair and India’s 12th ‘man’ — the 22-yard strip, that is — will play its part.
