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India viewing next two ODIs as knockouts

January 14, 2019

'We know it won't be ... easy for us as we are playing away from home'

 

IMAGE: India captain Virat Kohli bats in the nets during training on Monday. Photograph: BCCI/Twitter

India's top order suffered a rare collective failure in the first match, with Shikhar Dhawan, captain Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu all back in the changing rooms with their side 4-3 inside four overs.

 

Pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, however, said the collapse at the Sydney Cricket Ground was a rarity and they would probably not repeat the collapse.

Hosts Australia, who have a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, face India in the 2nd ODI on Tuesday.

"It was one of those matches where the top order didn't click," Bhuvneshwar said.

"It can happen with you when you play so much cricket. So it was just one of those things ... its very rare for us."

The bowler said his side were not concerned with the possibility of a series loss in Adelaide.

"We have been in this situation before," he said.

"We know it won't be ... easy for us as we are playing away from home.

"We are preparing in a manner where we have to win our next two matches so it's a kind of knockout for us."

IMAGE: Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a slow 51 from 96 balls in India's 34-run defeat to Australia in the first ODI. Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images

He further added that there has been no talk about MS Dhoni moving up the order, albeit he spoke about buffering the lower-order with Ravindra Jadeja's role considered that of an all-rounder in Hardik Pandya's absence.

"It really doesn't matter where I want Dhoni to bat. It's what the management wants that matters the most. As far as he's concerned, he can bat anywhere from numbers one to ten. He's been doing that thing for the past few years. What is important is that wherever he has been asked to bat, he's been doing that pretty well," said Bhuvneshwar.

Not playing international cricket for a considerable amount of time can impact any bowler's match rhythm and pacer Bhuvneshwar learnt it the hard way after being hit for 66 runs in the first ODI against Australia at Sydney.

Bhuvneshwar, who was a part of the Test squad, wasn't picked in the playing XI during the four-match series and did look rusty during the slog overs of the opening ODI.

"It (not playing regularly) did impact (my rhythm). Match rhythm is totally different when it comes to bowling. I was trying everything to be in rhythm in the nets.

"But it can't be a 100 per cent when you compare to a match (situation). It wasn't great in the last match (in Sydney) but it wasn't bad as well. It can improve, as the matches will go on," he added.

 

IMAGE: The key thing for me is to be niggle-free and be in bowling rhythm, says Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Photograph: BCCI/Twitter

During the past one month, Bhuvneshwar was training hard to get into match rhythm.

"I was trying everything to be in rhythm. In the nets, I wasn't planning or preparing to bowl in the ODIs. I was preparing like I have to play in any of the Tests. I was preparing in that manner. There wasn't anything specific that I could do.

"But it was just normal bowling and increasing the number of overs. If I was bowling 4 overs (to start with), then go to 6, then 8, then 10. The key thing for me is to be niggle-free and be in bowling rhythm," the UP seamer said.

Bhuvneshwar revealed that he wasn't 100 percent fit during the series but currently is niggle free.

"See, I was fit but I couldn't say that I was a 100 per cent. Because in Test matches, it's a five-day game, so I really didn't know I would be able to go through that thing. What was good was we had bowlers who could play at that time and I got time to be 100 per cent fit again. I wasn't really sure that time," he said.

Bhuvneshwar claimed that he has been able to regain his usual pace and will be bowling at 130-135 kmph.

"I was going through niggles at that time (in England) and when you have a niggle you can't be a 100 per cent, so that was during that period. Since then and now, I have trained a lot, especially during the one month of the Test series. I trained a lot. That is the reason I am back to 130-135 (pace). The main thing is I am niggle-free right now. That's the main thing for me," he said.

Kumar outlined that the team management is not worried about Ambati Rayudu's action being deemed suspect by the ICC.

Source: REUTERS
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