Asia Cup Match 2 - India vs Srilanka; Will India fire in familiar territory?

Another ODI between India and Sri Lanka. Before you cringe in disgust, the mitigating factor in favour of the latest match is that it is not part of another hastily arranged bilateral series. The teams have no option but to meet once, at the least, in the Asia Cup.

One silver lining, if it can be called that, for India on the disaster that was their recent tour of Australia was their performance against Sri Lanka in the Commonwealth Bank series, which culminated in that record chase led by Virat Kohli in Hobart. Out of four meetings between the two sides, India won two and tied another.

India know that will count for little; Hobart and Mirpur are two different worlds as far as conditions are concerned. For the record, they are the defending champions in this tournament. India go into this series with several questions to answer. Among them is the role and future of Sachin Tendulkar in the ODI side. At least the rotation policy at the top of the order that was employed in Australia has become dormant for the moment with no Virender Sehwag in the squad.

The middle order comes with its list of young batsmen with much to prove. Are Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma the men who will perform for India in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand? Their presence in the squad shows that the selectors believe they will; the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, unfortunately, is not the place for them to prove they can.

In a way, India are in a cannot-win situation. If they do well in this tournament, it will be said that they are back to doing what they are best at - making merry on flat subcontinent pitches. If they do not, the talk will be that if they cannot do well even in these conditions …

Sri Lanka are in a much better position. This was not a statement you could have made before the CB series. What a difference the change of captain has made. Under Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka looked rudderless and stagnant. Under Mahela Jayawardene, they seem to have found their way again. What's more, Dilshan has rediscovered himself as a batsman too.

Jayawardene has said that his appointment is short-term and his immediate goal is to make Sri Lanka win again. He started well in the CB series with Sri Lanka narrowly losing out in the finals to Australia. Back in familiar conditions, and considering how rusty Pakistan and India have looked in ODIs recently, Sri Lanka will go in to the tournament as favourites.

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12:18 AM

One day cricket may die by 2011 World Cup

Former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas fears the 2011 World Cup might be the last 50-overs event before the ODI format dies a premature death.

The traditionalist in Abbas is alarmed by the overwhelming success of Twenty20 and the way Indian and English cricket boards are promoting the slam-bang format.

If such thing continues, one day cricket would die in two year`s time, warned Abbas.


"If powerful boards like India, Australia and South Africa push for more Twenty20 cricket, I fear it might be the end of one-day internationals in the next two years time," Zaheer said.

Former players like Shane Warne are demanding ICC to do away with the one day format, while the England and Wales Cricket Board has already dropped the 50-overs format from its 2010 domestic calendar.

"I remain a traditionalist at heart and I don`t like what I see. I fear for the future of one-day internationals. The 2011 World Cup might well be the last time we see 50 over matches being played anywhere," he added.

Hailed as the `Asian Bradman` for his stylish batting and appetite for big scores during his playing days, Abbas said the growing popularity of Twenty20 cricket would eventually sound the death knell of traditional cricket.

"The way money is coming into Twenty20 cricket and the way countries like India and England are pushing and promoting it...if these boards want, they have enough clout in the ICC to change the format of the ODIs completely and reduce the number of overs in matches," he said.

Abbas said while Twenty20 cricket was essential for cricket, it must not be given preference over Tests or one-day matches.

"The real test of a player still comes in Tests or 50 over matches. Twenty20 is pure entertainment and you cannot have entertainment and fun all the time," Zaheer said.

Former captain Javed Miandad also felt the same way and said the authorities need to control the amount of Twenty20 matches held every year.

"Look the technical perfections are already suffering and the more we reduce the number of overs the more it is less cricket," Miandad, now a senior official in the Pakistan Cricket Board and the team`s batting consultant, said.

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5:55 AM