Zimbabwe no match for India’s own inner demons
Let’s get one thing perfectly clear: Zimbabwe does not pose a serious threat to India. Their offence is laughable and their defense is worse than second rate. Honestly, they’re not even a team. Not really, anyway. Yet, we still may suffer defeat, but not at the hands of Zimbabwe, but under the swords of our own personal demons.
It’s not unthinkable; India was, in fact, defeated by Zimbabwe twice in the past seven years, once in 1998 and again in 2001, proving that Zimbabwe on their best day can actually play better than India on their worst day. And that worst day may be coming at any time.
Sourav “I shouldn’t be captain” Ganguly and coach Greg Chappell are not on speaking terms although they did shake hands after the first Test which India won by an innings and 90 runs in Bulawayo. The hand shake was a meaningless gesture of course, meant to symbolize unity, but in fact symbolizing the rift between team members by virtue of its weightiness.
And this isn’t the only problem either:
Much of the damage is being done upfront by Irfan Pathan whose incoming swinging deliveries have won him 50 per cent of his 54 scalps as leg-before victims.
Virender Sehwag too would be looking to raise a three-figure score or more against his name for too often he is losing his concentration in the 40s and 50s.
His partner Gautam Ghambir would be keen to cement his spot with a big knock since Sehwag’s partners at the other end have been coming and going through a revolving door in recent times.
So as you can see, India has its work cut out for it, not just in the upcoming test, but also in the remaining season. Whatever changes need to be made, they should be taken care of quickly, because India’s poor off-field performance is just as much of an embarrassment as their on-field performance. And beating Zimbabwe again won’t change that.