According to India captain MS Dhoni, one of the challenges while encountering the side in England during the Champions Trophy will be getting acquainted to the new One Day International (ODI) rules. He agreed that the team has enough time to acclimatize with two warm-up games which is supposed to be played before the commencing match against South Africa on 6th June 2013.
Since the new rules were enforced in January, India has played ODIs at home but this will be their first experience in foreign conditions where the seamers will have an immense role. Actually, the Captains have complained that the rules are not fair on the bowlers, especially the spinners. It says that not more than four fielders are permitted outside the 30-yard circle at any point of the innings. On one side, bowlers can bowl two bouncers per over and on the other side, Powerplays will have to be finished up by the 40th over.
Dhoni highlighted in Mumbai before the team's departure for England that there are a few challenges like the latest ODI rules and of course they will be playing outside the subcontinent for the first time under the new rules. He stressed that they will have to acclimatize to the latest rule of five fielders within the circle, how fast they adapt to the wicket, the distance they need to bowl, the particular areas to bowl.
The Captain is positive about the fact that they have two practice matches before the tournament. They also have adequate time before the first game hence there is enough time to adjust.
History proves that India have fared poorly in tournaments organized immediately after the IPL. It is lamenting that the team failed to march into the semi-finals in the 2009 and 2010 World T20 tournaments. However Dhoni disclosed that the players' performance during the IPL was encouraging. He revealed that currently the kind of fitness level that is going around, each and every member is assumed to be fit. He admitted that all of them have played excellent cricket in the IPL or before the IPL. Hence most of them are in very good touch. In lines with the fitness, they have not received any official reports regarding any player being unfit which is a good sign.
Although the seamers are anticipated to play a vital role, the team has three spinners-- Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra and R Ashwin. India’s coach Duncan Fletcher felt the spinners will have a crucial role to play at certain venues. He went in lines with Dhoni that overall it is going to be a seamer-friendly. One can never predict like Cardiff for example, it is well known there to be a turning wicket very slow and not very unlike to what one might get in India. The coach added that one has to be prepared to play two spinners. In case one is injured, there should be a back-up. They have a balanced team.
India will commence the match devoid of their regular opening pair of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir as both are dropped from the event. Dhoni is confident that the latest duo Shikhar Dhawan and M Vijay would continue their form from the Test series against Australia. He clarified that the two openers had performed well at the Test level recently. He is well aware of the fact that it is a different challenge in the ODIs. One have to accelerate but simultaneously it is important that they have a good start from which they can capitalize on and as Duncan correctly commented this is an opportunity for the youngsters. In fact, Shikhar and Vijay have been very consistent.
Later Dhoni was reminded of India's past ODI series at England in 2011, where the side lost the five-match series by 3-0 after losing all the four Tests. Dhoni commented that the team had fared better compared to the results suggested. He blamed the rain for losing all the tosses. As a result, the game didn't even reach the level where it could have reached as decided by Duckworth/Lewis. The spinners were forced to handle the wet ball and it was not possible for them to utilize their skills. Overall, the performance of the ODI squad was excellent, if one doesn’t see just the results.
