Some early thoughts on the do-or-die game tomorrow

1. Ravindra Jadeja is out.

2. Umesh Yadav makes an appearance not aware of the visa papers goof up. sorry.

3. If India win toss, will bowl first – To know the target in terms of boosting NRR

4. Need to keep Jayasuriya and Dilshan down.

5. I think India get through to Semis. (All is forgotten Jadeja)

Lessons unlearned

Team India’s current misadventure in the ongoing in the T20 world cup in the Caribbean seems to be a case of “those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it.” In the 2009 T20 world cup in England, the Indian batsmen’s inability to handle sustained short-pitched bowling was severely exposed by West Indies and England.  India were unceremoniously booted out of the 2009 tournament in the super eight stage, having put in a meek effort. As always, there was a big outcry over the new line of India’s young brigade that could not handle the short ball but was soon forgotten as the attention turned towards the more traditional formats of the game and then, eventually, IPL 3.

The teams selected for the 2009 tourney and the 2010 are virtually the same, even the shoulder injury to Virender Sehwag. Although, it is possible that the Indian selection committee may have been influenced by the recent matches in the Caribbean, which had featured slow and low pitches, similar to the ones you typically find in the Indian subcontinent, where the Indian players would feel right at home and it is tailor-made for their front foot, hit through the line type of stroke play.