By Ian Botham
It was very important in the series’ perspective for India to come strong and level it in Kochi and that’s what they have done. The total put up by India could have been chased but the England batsman didn’t play well and made it look much more tough than it was.
For any team and any format, the success of the top order stands vital and that has been a concern for India. Especially in the limited-overs game, it’s easy to bat at the top with the field restrictions and the new ball coming on to the bat. India can’t rely all the time on MS Dhoni to come and finish games. Had Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja not put up the stand at the end, it could have been a different story. The top order need to make themselves count.
Dhoni is one of the most dangerous cricketers around. He is a terrific cricketer and England need to find a way to stop the Indian captain. What is impressive is the fact that he is under so much pressure but he has still come out strong and leads from the front with performance.
Today’s match is in Ranchi, the hometown of Dhoni, and the team will have tremendous support. I think the smaller zones are the way to go for limited-overs cricket. The Kochi crowd was amazing and so was Rajkot. The support has been great to watch.
The new rule has drawn criticism from a few captains as they feel spinners are facing the wrath but I am fine with it. What the new format has done is made captains think and strategize more and it has been good to watch from the viewers’ perspective.
India with the win under the belt and playing in their captain’s backyard, will stand favourites but don’t be surprised if England come back strong as that’s what they have done throughout the season. Haven’t they?
