India needs to be positive from the word go

For the last decade or so,India has been constantly shredding off the black marks on their cricketing history , more specifically in the last five years. It has reflected on their rankings and and they have grown as a force to reckon with all over the world. There are many hurdles yet to be cleared and some of them come in their way of becoming a champion team.

There is one specific stat that is often highlighted at the start of almost every tour of India, and it us the result of the very first test match. You could hardly remember a series India lost after drawing or winning the first test match in last 20 years. It is a hole that has kept growing for the last few years. More often than not, it is the positive attitude which is found wanting from Team India at start of the tour. But once they found that grip, it is transformed into a heroic performance like it did during the 2002 Headingley test.

All set and ready for the final punch.

India, with their first ever series win in the mind, will start their mission to conquer Kangaroos on their own backyard tomorrow against Canberra, the first of two scheduled warm-up matches before the Boxing Day test against Australia at Melbourne on December 26th. There has been lot talks n topics like ‘preparation’, ‘not enough time to adapt’, ‘more practice matches’ and inevitably on the squad selection. India only had one warm up game before the first test when the tour was first scheduled, but with Kumble’s efforts, India got themselves two warm up games arranged to help them get accustomed to the conditions.

Will India make full use of this opportunity? Only time will tell. But can they approach it positively now? Well, that’s the big question that Duncan Fletcher will hope his team to answer in a positive manner . The most important thing that Indian batsmen should look to do in the two warm-ups is to play positively, i.e play their scoring shots rather than looking to spend time at the crease and restricting their stroke play in the process.

What India batsmen should not look to do is to be defensive during the warm-ups and then arrive to the first test with the over confidence of being well accustomed to the conditions and start playing lose strokes ending up gifting their wickets to the opposition. India should approach warm-up matches as real match. They should look to score and should play their natural game. Only this will help them adjust their timing and their shot selection.

Obviously, they should first look to get their eye in and then only should think of playing extravagant shots. They have two matches i hand before the first test, where they can correct their techniques rather than doing it later down the series.

India must take the practice matches seriously and should think about winning at least one out of two warm up games. This way, they will get a feel of winning before series starts. May be, it is something that changes the India’s fortunes. What do you think?

Edited by Sambhav Khetarpal