The 2023 Cricket World Cup tagline, “It takes one day,” is painted across all 10 venues and hosted high through purple banners and hoardings.
Having doused an early Australian challenge and steamrolled Afghanistan and Pakistan, Rohit Sharma’s men have quickly upheld the favourites’ tag alongside New Zealand.
However, it also takes less than a day for the wheel of good fortune to turn—one nervy twist here, a questionable call there.
On a blazing afternoon at the MCA Stadium in Pune, India may have learned that it takes very little to disturb the carefully set equilibrium.
When Hardik Pandya’s attempt to stop a Litton Das drive with his right shoe on the follow-through went awry, a gasp and silence fell upon the blue crowd. That it came in the ninth over on the back of a refreshing start by Bangladesh’s usually erratic openers, would have undoubtedly unsettled head coach Rahul Dravid and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.
As Hardik hobbled off, Rohit chose Shardul Thakur to take over from the opening pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
With Hardik leaving the field indefinitely – restricting from bowling further in the innings – Shardul (left) was the only available option here. | Photo Credit: AP
India faced a potential issue in the recent match, which could become more significant in upcoming high-altitude battles, including one against New Zealand in Dharamsala in three days. Both Siraj and Bumrah struggled to maintain the right line and length during their four-over opening spells.
However, India’s primary concern was selecting the first-change bowler. With Hardik unable to bowl further in the innings and leaving the field indefinitely, Shardul was the only option available. Unfortunately, in his first four-over spell on the hard Gahunje pitch, he conceded 30 runs.
His first over—the 10th of the innings—exhibited all the qualities of a trademark Shardul over. He tossed four deliveries on length, with one moving slightly fuller into the slot and another marginally falling on the shorter side. The variety of deliveries was unreasonable for a five-over-old Kookaburra. He conceded 16 runs with a fledgling Tanzid Hasan switching gears with two maximums and a four.
Shardul’s utility as a bowler has, however, revolved around the same proclivity for freewheeling experiments in the middle overs, where he has been the leading wicket-taker among pacers since 2022 (30 wickets).
It is a strange dichotomy that the medium pacer also holds the worst career bowling economy (6.22) among all players to have bowled in at least 40 innings (min. 1000 deliveries).
India is still cautious about his ability to complete his full bowling quota, as he has only bowled eight overs in his two previous matches. Rohit had to utilize nine overs of Shardul against Bangladesh due to Hardik’s injury. Shardul took one wicket but gave away 59 runs with an economy rate slightly higher than his career average.
Shardul is yet to have a knock with the bat in this tournament.
A fit Hardik offers similar variations with the ball besides an added ability to hit the deck at a decent clip. An all-condition, all-phase bowler Mohammad Shami is also warming the bench.
India’s continued strategy to persist with Shardul relays its stubbornness to follow a conservative approach, even when its top order has been incredibly good in this tournament.
However, all was not lost in the aftermath of a lousy hour.
India, after failing to pick up a wicket in the first 13 overs for the first time this year, made a comeback, riding on the craft of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, skimming the Bangladesh top-order from 93 for no loss to 137 for four.
Kuldeep Yadav celebrates the dismissal of Bangladesh’s Tanzid Hasan Tamim during the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium. | Photo Credit: K.R Deepak / The Hindu
For two games in a row, Siraj also made a difference in his second spell in the middle-overs with the partially discoloured white ball. He had toppled a well-set Babar Azam in the clash against Pakistan in Ahmedabad. On Thursday, he undid an in-form Mehidy Hasan, aided by an athletic catch from wicketkeeper KL Rahul.
However, Bangladesh’s lower order partially matched up to the half-centuries from openers Litton Das and Tanzid and helped the Tigers to 256 for eight in 50 overs.
Scan results will now determine Hardik’s availability for the next game. If he fails to recover, it might be nearly impossible for India to regain the same level of balance that he brings to this team.
Can Shardul bowl 10 overs in Dharamsala and offer the same weight with the bat? Will Shami finally take over in those seamer-friendly conditions irrespective of the Hardik quotient?
The ascent to the Himalayas may now feel like an obstacle course. If it succeeds against the Kiwis, who have the edge over India in five ICC tournaments since 2003, the home team can breathe a sigh of relief and move one step closer to the semifinals.
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