Related Link : England in India 05/06
Not so long ago, the term ‘choking’ was as synonymous with the Indian team as Sachin Tendulkar. If I remember right, it came to serious light when India last toured Zimbabwe for the triangular series, and it was a case of ‘yet-another-final, yet-another-failure’. One did not have to be a nuclear scientist to theorize India’s inverse relation to pressure. It seemed as though a phobia was wading through the minds of the eleven men in blue. The rot had to be stemmed to pursue greater success in the ODIs. India’s inability to cope with the larger demands of chasing targets surely made its way onto Greg Chappell’s priority list. For once, there was a transparent acknowledgement of the problem by the coach and to change this perception was going to be a daunting task.
Chasing, to say was never India’s forte. They had showed spells of brilliance off and on, but consistency, while reacting to the scores set was never there. There was a Natwest Series final, where India did more than enough to chase down 324, but in dark contrast there was the Asia Cup, where India stooped their way in pursuit of 230. Such was the inconsistency and a larger vulnerability of Team India to targets. The only problem that seemed to have engulfed the Indians in the past was their inability to finish matches. There were times when India would put themselves in positions of superiority during a chase, and due to reasons they best know, lose the entire plot. If anything, finishing games was one area where India have been found wanting. It needed serious redressal, simply because in situations like a World Cup semi-final, they may have to chase, purely out of compulsion.
Here we are, 20 games on and India seemed to have got the better of their mindset by successfully and consecutively chasing down 15 out of these games, thereby setting a new record. For starters, India has never been a part of a streak or a spree, so to say but with this sudden paradigm shift in thought and mindset has surely made a strong statement in Indian cricket. When Greg Chappell started off his reign as India coach, he was hounded by media and public pressure of India not being good chasers. And to his credit, he acknowledged the existence of this very problem and sought immediate remedial measures to correct it. He used the Sri Lankan home series to bring about, what now seems like a transformed thought and as a spectator it was a path-breaking move to consciously understand the frailties of the team and correct it by setting simulated situations. From there-on, India have seemed to have perfected this very art of chasing.
A large share of credit for this sudden reversal has to be given to the youngsters in the team. There is a greater acknowledgement of responsibility and application within these boys and that has surely worked to their credit. The presence of a new steely resolve has only strengthened the mindset of the team and the victories are a tribute to that very change in direction. Pressure, to this Indian team seems to be an enzyme that only made them more determined and more responsible and the results are there to see. In the past, with India reeling at 90 for 5, the common tendency was to switch off the TV sets and conduct a post-mortem about an Indian loss, but now a distinct sense of belief has re-emerged both within the team and the public mindset. And another point of satisfaction and celebration is the fact that each chase has its own heroes. be it Yuvraj Singh in Pakistan, Mahendra Dhoni against Sri Lanka or Suresh Raina in the ongoing series.
“Old habits die hard”, they say ! But having seen India’s transformation in the recent past, such phrases will remain phrases. For now, it seems as though India have visibly done away with their unwanted habits of wilting to pressure, but it will be equally important for India to start looking at setting targets and winning matches than only chasing them. Chasophobia if I may call it, is surely a thing of the past and has translated itself into a red-hot chasomania. If anywhere India need to inspire themselves, it the Test matches. They may well have lost the game at critical moments, but they only need to look within their dressing room to find an inspiration to correct their wrongs. The adage of “I don’t care how they come, as long as they come !” is the new buzzword among the Indian cricket fans. Be it by batting-first or by chasing, an Indian win enthralls the masses. One hopes that this massive streak of run-chases will surely take Indian cricket to new heights in the near future.