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Host nation India go into the Champions Trophy next week desperate to improve their one-day form and hopeful of settling on the team’s short-game tactics ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Coach Greg Chappell has won many admirers after he took over last September and infused flexibility to help India crush Sri Lanka 6-1 and then win 4-1 in Pakistan and 5-1 against England at home.

However, he is suddenly under fire from the Indian media and former players, who now say endless experimenting had ruined the players’ confidence.

Critics blame the team’s plight on the tinkering of a proven top order after Dravid, a mainstay of the middle order, opened the innings in the last two series.

Explosive opener Virender Sehwag, pushed down the order in Kuala Lumpur after Sachin Tendulkar returned after shoulder surgery, also struggled and scored just 28 runs in the tournament.

The 21-year-old Irfan Pathan is another case in point. Pathan was hailed as an emerging all-rounder after his success as a pinch-hitting number three batsman, but he has lost the edge in his pace bowling in the last two months. He was dropped during India’s Test series victory in West Indies and critics said the pressure was telling on the player seen as key to India’s World Cup hopes.

However, the talismanic Tendulkar remains an inspiration. The 33-year-old batsman smashed 141 not out against West Indies in Malaysia on his return from the latest of a series of wear and tear injuries suffered in the last six years.

Tendulkar would also become the most-capped player in the opening pool match against England on Oct 15.

Source:The News

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