By: Tarish Bhatt
The fact that the Indian pacers have performed exceedingly well in first two matches of the World Cup shows captain cool MS Dhoni’s success in shaping his pace department. Sources told Drcricket7 that Dhoni spent a considerable amount of time in instilling discipline into Mohammed Shami and company. He didn’t spend his time talking to the pacers much but involved them in a whole lot of group activities to make them understand their roles.
It was through these activities that Dhoni reminded the Indian pace battery about the areas where they were going wrong and apparently what they could possibly do to get the maximum results. The Indian pace bowlers did struggle to make much of an impact during the Australian tour, but were told that they would be judged on the basis of their performances in the World Cup rather than what they had done in the hectic Australian tour.
Sources said that Dhoni categorically explained to the pacers that there was little time they got during the Australian tour to keep their focus intact after playing non-stop. However, the World Cup is another chapter. Things won’t be the same when India play at the World Cup. “Dhoni told the pacers that there would be enough gaps during the World Cup to reflect on their performances and make the necessary adjustments in their bowling,” a source in the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said.
By the time the World Cup started, the pacers got a fair idea of what they had to perform with more clarity on their roles. Source also said that all of the medium pacers are in an extremely positive frame of mind and are not scared of getting hit. Things like use of short deliveries against the opposition were discussed at length.
“There is total discipline in the attack and Dhoni expects them to be consistent and not think too much about what’s going on around them. The Indian captain’s created a safety net around them they’re loving been in that zone,” the source added. So what is next for Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma? By the looks of it to keep the good work going!
