India managed to survive with a win against the Windies, despite being scared a bit by the Caribbean lower order..thanks to the slamming stroke play of Yuvi and the experience of Ashish Nehra, who bowled wonderfully well in the deaths. Team India had been in the middle of so many troubles since the IPL season. There were so many talks about the ‘failed’ tactics, the form of the skipper and Ishant, poor fielding, lack of motivation, absence of the one and only Sehwag, Ravindra Jadeja’s 25 out of 35 and many more. Their thirst for a win was quenched and it eases away some pressure.

However, if we look at the Indian top order especially Gambhir, Rohit n Raina, their problem with the short pitched deliveries still persist. I mean I don’t know why they are attempting to play the very same shot that repeatedly cost them their wicket. They are just poor ‘hookers’ of the cricket ball thanks to their ’sub continent’ ancestry. Well may be we can make Sachin and Laxman exceptions from that list.

Gary Kirsten has a lot of work to do now. He needs to make the Indian players adjust with the conditions in West Indies which are more challenging than the Subcontinent conditions. The practice sessions must include the training to use the backfoot properly. The mistake they are making is that for reducing the effect of the swing of the deliveries, front foot often comes into play and they are not moving the backfoot backward while attempting to ‘hook’ and finally perishes at the square leg often. To hook without a ‘top edge’ is a difficult shot to make and needs excessive skill. Team India must tackle with those angling across balls ‘coz the wickets are a bit slow and the Windies pace attack can pepper them with those nasty deliveries.

Lets watch and see India bounce on top!