Team India's T20 Batting Strategy - Consistency at the cost of cutting-edge?

[sandeep]

8 hours ago, kosingh said:

Like in the ODI series in Australia a few months ago.  The first 3 matches. Motto seemed to be "put up around 300 on the board, and that's plenty". 

 

And we put on around 300 on the board 3 matches in a row. And lost all. 

 

Somehow we are out of touch with the realities of modern cricket. On flat batting paradises in 50 over cricket, 300 is not enough. On flat batting paradises and small grounds in T20 cricket, 195 is not enough.  

 

I don't know if it's Dhoni that's behind our out of date thinking. But I suspect Ravi Shastri has something to do with it. 

 

Its risk management.  Their approach, clearly, is to not go for the max score, because going for a par plus score early in the game, would require an element of risk that can actually lead to a sub-par score if we lose too many wickets up front.  The argument is, that you can make up 20-odd runs in the field, or its not worth trying to get those extra 10-15 runs and ending up with 50 short instead.   This happens when you don't have that much batting depth or confidence in your lower middle order.  

 

Someone who wants to defend this strategy will point to the 2 no-balls, the catch that went for 6, and say that in spite of the conservative batting, we still would have won, had we done the basics right.  The truth is, we were lucky to get to 192, the way we batted.  Kohli got some clutch boundaries when it mattered, but those were low percentage boundaries.  Else, we were on track for 175, which would have been chased with 3-4 overs to spare.  

 

Bottomline is this - I don't think such a risk averse approach is going to work on every track, especially in T20s.  When you are on a flat patta, and you know you have to bowl with dew, you need to take that into account and get those extra 15-20 runs.  And you can't always wait till the last 6 overs to attack.  Especially if you claim to be a good batting side.  Its just not good enough.  Team India need to aim higher.  

[sandeep]

On 3/10/2016 at 11:16 AM, sandeep said:

Today's warm-up games in progress showcase two contrasting batting tactics - India have scored 185 against the WI while the Kiwis have piled up 226 against SL.  Under Dhoni, India has always looked to start cautiously and first ensure that we don't fall into a sub-par total.  Having ensured that, then we try to maximize the scoring in the 2nd half.  Such a strategy ensures that we don't "lose" the game in the 1st 10 overs,  but it also sacrifices the possibility of piling up a monster score that would "win" the game in the 1st innings.  

Contrast that with some of the other approaches in the modern game - where teams such as Australia, McCullum's Kiwis and lately even the Pommies.  They start off aiming at 200 and look to get off to a big start and try to put scoreboard pressure on the bowlers.  They are ready to lose a few wickets up top, even if it opens up the possibility of a par or below-par total at the end of 20 overs.  To put it in scoreboard terms, they are more likely to go for 65-70 odd in the first 6 overs, even if 2 wickets are lost, while India is more likely to aim at 40-odd for no loss.  

India's risk mitigation approach has resulted in a very high win percentage, and its difficult to argue against wins.  But as the WC T20 starts, India's approach keeps a big risk on the table - especially batting first - they might end up with a 170-190 total on a track where you would need 210 or so to defend successfully.  Will Dhoni and co. be able to change their tactics if they go up against a quality batting unit and have to set a target?  

To some degree, its the mix of team personnel that have led us to this approach - Before the blooding of Hardik Pandya, and Yuvi's recent resurgence, we had a gaping hole in the middle-order that necessitated such a cautious approach.  This personnel issue is addressed to some extent, with even Dhoni finding a few big hits lately.  But the question is, will the team set their sights a bit higher as a matter of strategy?  Its no secret that Dhoni's instinct is to take the game as deep as possible and then take his chances - but such a one-note approach can be a bit predictable and easy to game-plan against.  I would be very surprised for instance, if more teams didn't start using their 2nd rung bowlers against India in the 1st 10 overs, or even powerplay overs, knowing that India will not risk too much too early.  

Personally, I believe their current approach is good enough to contend, but likely to fall short of championship victory.  There will come a time in the WC, that India will need to seize the initiative and risk failure in chasing success, batting first.    Let's hope that we are able to do so, and just win, baby

New captain.  Same problem.  

 

Wrong selection.  Wrong batting order.  Wrong batting tactics.  Same crap result.  

[G_B_]

I saw a cutting edge Pandya with the bat. Trying to cut and edging it a lot.

 

 

[Laaloo]

Same old shit.