Indian Cricket Team is on a high after winning the second test at Bangalore against Australia. The four-match series now stands at 1-1.india needs to plug certain loopholes still present in the team to stamp their authority at Ranchi.India lost the first test at Pune.
Indian openers need to fire together
Both the Indian openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul are injured. KL Rahul is still playing with pain and he himself has said that he is adjusting certain strokes. BCCI has not announced any replacement for the third test scheduled to start in Ranchi from March 16.Mukund, who was roped into the team as a replacement for Murali Vijay has not set the house on fire.
He has not looked convincing also. India needs to ensure that both the openers give them a steady start to their cause on the third test.
Indian slip cordon needs to be more alert
Indian slip catching is not something to boast of in the recent times. The team is guilty of dropping catches that should be have been caught in the first place. The approach of taking catches using soft hands is forgotten and the placing of fielders is also not up to the mark.Virat Kohli was positioned in middle of first and second slip and he lost a sitter offered by Smith in the second innings of the second Test Match at Bangalore and that did not affect the final result of the match.
But India lost the first test match at Pune due to the dropping of catches.
Indian in the second innings did not have a forward short leg when they were defending paltry 188 runs and that would have affected them. The reason was that Wade was dismissed when he defended a ball of Ashwin and the catch flew to short forward leg and Saha took a stunning diving catch Saha had the presence of mind and that catch changed the momentum for India.
Middle order should really shine for Indian team
Pujara has come back to the runs in the second innings of the second test match between India and Australia. Pujara need to be the backbone of the Indian middle order and he should take extra measures to cut off the chances being offered by him. Even in the second innings, he gave two chances when he had scored just three and four runs and to his credit, he capitalized and went onto score ninety-two valuable runs for India.
Rahane has also come roaring back to form after he compiled a well made half century. More is expected from him. Kohli has not fired on all cylinders and a big innings is due from him. Karun Nair looked comfortable in the first innings of the second test match but he threw away his wicket to rash shot and that was repeated in the second innings also.
Indian think tank should discuss ways to redress the problems that is existent in the present set up and should come out with full guns blazing in the third test.
