Final 5 Over Strategy

[jonas10]

Lots of positives first two games but clearly the biggest problem has been an adequate strategy the final 5 overs when trying to accelerate. Seems like the strategy is to slog at anything and then put a heavy hitter like Raina up if we are down 2/3 wickets with 5 or so overs to go and he would do the same. As we can see....wickets then fall like anything instead of getting a quick 20. I think a better strategy would be instead of having the mind set to swing at everything because there are 8 wickets 5 overs just play out the final overs and take calculated risks when they are there. These guys are swinging at everything and thats whats costing runs. Eg Dhawan/Kohli if they are batting over 45 should not look to hit everything for 6 because there are 8 wickets left. Dhawan and kohli could probably score 30 runs off those 5 overs easily rather than the pretend 25 off a final over we are lying to ourselves that Shami and Ashwin can score. Something needs to be done about this as I feel its only a matter of time til our bowlers get taken to the cleaners and an extra 20-25 runs will matter. Basically Id prefer a guaranteed score of 320-4 instead of what may very well range in 350-9 to 290-7.

[goose]

I've said before, we're going to be losing at least 7 wickets most times we bat i.e. Ashwin and Jadeja will almost certainly be called upon. I say open with one of them. The formula this world cup seems to be get to 40 unscathed off 10-12 overs in the first PP so no harm in rolling the dice. Dhoni-Jadeja-Ashwin is not going to work down the order.

[G_B_]

Agree with the setiments of the op. I get a feeling india are trying to get way to many runs in the final 7-8 overs Aim for a bankable 7-8 runs per over than 10-12.

[jonas10]

Agree with the setiments of the op. I get a feeling india are trying to get way to many runs in the final 7-8 overs Aim for a bankable 7-8 runs per over than 10-12.

Exactly....thats 35-40 runs final 5 overs. The problem is they want to have 10-12 over 5 and that can end in a disaster. As it has the last 2 games where youre left with Shami facing Steyn instead of Dhawan. Dhawan did amazing last game but I think he was feeling pressure that 'its now time to go for the big shot and if I get out Raina Jadeja can slog'. Thats a bad mindset....India would of had 25 more runs if he stayed and played his singles and advantageous ground boundaries game that he played the first 43 overs.

[vvvslaxman]

Tony is doing zilch these days down the order. May be they can keep Raina down the order.

[zen]

The strategy should depend upon the match situation, the playing conditions and the opposition. When the team is chasing, it would be a different story Against relatively weaker teams, Ind should consider playing guys such as Jadeja up the order so that he can get in to match form. It may not be a bad idea to even reverse the batting order of the top 6 vs. UAE Another option would be to promote Shami at #8 instead of Ashwin. If Shami fails, Ashwin can knock the ball around to rotate the strike Ideally, Ind would want one of Raina or Dhoni to control the inning towards the end. Play sensibly, keep most of the strikes by taking twos and make the most of the bad balls India still has 4 more games to go before the KOs and if guys such as Jadeja can strike form, it would help the alleviate the situation

[flamy]

Is Binny a better hitter than Jadeja? But Jadeja does give us some good overs in places like SCG and MCG. Plus he's Dhoni's son. I just wish we had someone else other than Rayudu on the bench :(

[vvvslaxman]

biriyani's presence has totally screwed up bench options.

[kruiser]

Exactly....thats 35-40 runs final 5 overs. The problem is they want to have 10-12 over 5 and that can end in a disaster. As it has the last 2 games where youre left with Shami facing Steyn instead of Dhawan. Dhawan did amazing last game but I think he was feeling pressure that 'its now time to go for the big shot and if I get out Raina Jadeja can slog'. Thats a bad mindset....India would of had 25 more runs if he stayed and played his singles and advantageous ground boundaries game that he played the first 43 overs.

that is what we did yesterday :cantstop: sometimes, just acknowledge that opposition bowled better than our batters could handle during the death. Just because these are death overs, scoring runs does not get easier. You have to take risks to score briskly - sometimes they work and sometimes they don't! thats whay they are called the death overs!

[Bumper]

You need batsmen who can improvise in the last 5 overs & exploit the gaps in the field. Our hitters are one dimensional. Raina shuffles across and whacks over mid wicket. Dhoni either pulls or hits you straight over the bowler's head. These two are very predictable. Maxwell OTOH, can reverse sweep, dil-scoop, hit you over the head, make room and whack over extra cover or slog sweep you over mid wicket etc etc. Our sloggers simply don't have that kinda range. If you are a bowling team, you can pretty much tie our lower order down by bowling to a certain plan if you have done your home work that is. Our lower order should learn to improvise. Otherwise we'll continue to struggle against disciplined attacks.

[GolGappe]

Good points Bumper. Miss someone like Yuvraj. He could pull, hook, cut, drive, and hit over bowlers' heads when in full flow.

[fineleg]

YUVRAJ SINGH at #5 or 6 is missed big time!

[Stuge]

We are carrying this virus from previous world cup

[flamy]

What we need is Kohli/Rohit at the end.

[bsriharsha]

Very difficult for new Batsmen to start hitting from the get-go against bowlers the caliber of Steyn. All the more reason for Dhawan or atleast one set batsman to hold his wicket and play shots more judiciously...No point attacking from two ends.

[CoverDrive]

no need to change combination now. let this team carry on and lets hope that Dhoni starts hitting it more and finds his form.

[bowl_out]

Get Binny in the side to slog... Rest Jaddu for the Perth ODIs

[Marut]

I liked how the likes of Russell whacked 42 off 13 against Pakistan. India would have breached 350 in both games with knocks like that. We don't have a single hitter like that in the lower order now. Not even Dhoni can play like that. Raina and Yuvi are the only guys who can match that brute hitting.

[sensible-indian]

We have serious detah batting issues. Dhoni - Not in the zone. looks almost finished these days. Jaddu - Not clicking. Ashwin - Match losing ODI batsman - can't slog Better strategy is to aim less and take it as it comes. Cos this all out attack in the last 5 overs isn't working for us.

[rkt.india]

I liked how the likes of Russell whacked 42 off 13 against Pakistan. India would have breached 350 in both games with knocks like that. We don't have a single hitter like that in the lower order now. Not even Dhoni can play like that. Raina and Yuvi are the only guys who can match that brute hitting.

It is not like we dont have hitters but our hitters are handicapped on these big grounds. They are not going to clear these ground as much as they do in India or smaller grounds. We lack that raw power likes of Russell have. Like yesterday, that Raina shot was well timed, would have been 6 on lot of grounds, but at MCG, it was caught.