THOUGH we can expect a bright summer in June, May is always a wet month in England, and we might not see every game completed in the World Cup. So, till teams reach the qualifying stage, a number of calculators and laptops will come into play. The obvious task of every team will be to hope for better playing conditions, and qualify for the semi-finals. That means it is vital to work out a good strategy for the qualifying rounds.
I believe we have an extremely strong batting side, and our bowling will revolve around Prasad and Srinath—in that order. Prasad's line and length is ideal for the weather conditions. He has to bowl his quota of 10 overs effectively. A good performance by other bowlers will be a value addition for the team. For these conditions, we actually ought to have four other bowlers like Prasad and a spinner. When it comes to spinners, I feel sorry that we have to rely on Sachin Tendulkar to get us a break. I want Sachin to get runs, and we must not bank on him as the fifth bowler.
I am very disappointed that Sunil Joshi has not made the grade. He can bowl tight and flat, and could be comparable with Bishen Bedi if he flights the ball consistently. The need for flighting the ball has repeatedly been stressed, and Bishen and I were naturals at that. Most present day cricketers have a misconception that flight means tossing the ball up. I don't think that's correct. It does invite the batsmen to hit, but there's always the element of deception in a flighted ball. Since we neither have Joshi, and can't even dream of a bowler like Subash Gupte who could turn the ball across the blade, the alternative must be found in off-spinners. Nikhil Chopra, though not a conventional spinner, is the only one in the side, he bowls flatter and has a good line and length. Then again, what is important in a one-day game is that the batsmen will go after him because he is a slow bowler. Therefore, not being a good flighter or a tweaker of the ball, it is imperative that he bowls accurately.
If both the openers in the opposition are left-handers (like South Africa), we must ask Prasad and Chopra to open the attack. Nikhil should bowl yorker length on the middle and leg. Now to tonk a ball like that over long-on or deep fine leg will be difficult. Take a chance with a placement of five on the on and four on the off—with one fielder between deep mid-on and mid-wicket and one at deep fine leg. And the weather might just help Nikhil swerve in the air and deviate off the wicket. Field placement will be very crucial for a spinner opening the bowling. Therefore, Nikhil should bowl over the stumps and into the batsmen's toes. There's a blind spot for left-hand batsmen—between the eye and the right elbow—which should be the bowler's target. Of course, every strategy is a gamble which may pay off—and should—if you proceed whole-heartedly. The idea here is, if after the first 15 overs, you've given away about 45 runs and got a couple of wickets, you have a good chance. Now, if you don't want to try a spinner in the initial overs, he'll have to come on at the end of 15 overs. He must bowl to a set field and that means 80 per cent of the shots will go to the fielders. In my opinion, if somebody can bowl a yorker every ball, he'll be the most successful one-day player! The English introduced this line of bowling and it was only the innovative Viv Richards who could counter it.
Anil Kumble has a role to play, though of late he has been conceding runs. He has to bowl well and better than he did in county cricket, where he got most of his 100 wickets in the second half of the English summer, that is the month of June. Batsmen have began to read his bowling and hit him over the fielders. But the others must chip in too, if Kumble and Prasad bowl very well and the others don't, then the attack will look innocuous. I'm trying to emphasise that Venkatesh Prasad will play a key role, and if we have to succeed, Nikhil Chopra must bowl very effectively as well. If Prasad can bowl in-swinging yorkers and Nikhil, the yorker-line fastish ones, they will be doing a great job for India.
My guess is that India should qualify for the semi-finals. We have the best batting side, and Robin Singh should fit in as an all rounder. The side has been a let down in five-day games, but have done better in the one-day variety. In my opinion, the favourites are England. South Africa have never lived up to expectations under pressure, so they will be placed after Australia, India and Sri Lanka. The Indians must plan the first matches very well, and if they can see that phase through, they will be a side to reckon with. They must choose the team depending on the adversary, and try not to repeat the same eleven in every match. Replacing players is perfectly possible as all the 16 are at par, it's only that some have played consistently and some have not. That is what effective strategic planning demands.
