Indian batting is in good health, but the bowling is still a matter of concern. Yet, no effort has been made to bring them up to speed in this game. Except Zaheer, and by a long shot, Harbhajan, none are doing so well. Munaf still bowls like a gentle medium-pacer. Chawla is struggling with line and length and may sadly lose his place in the team. Harbhajan himself isn't getting wickets, with just one in three. Nehra and Ashwin have yet to play, and Ashwin is the more relevant of the two. Sreesanth's laid by the wayside on account of one bad match, when the regular and replacement have done no better. Yusuf hasn't been given much of a chance, and though he's bowled eighteen overs in three games, has just one wicket.
And if the team thinks they can sit on Yuvraj's five, they're sitting on a tinder box, as it's a different matter bowling to a World Cup contender without all the protection- he's been far worse than the other bowlers against England. He's not even one-tenth the all-rounder, let alone the bowler, that Shane Watson is. Can he maintain a Hashim Amla-esque batting record whilst turning in so many overs of left-arm-flat? No way.
The next game should have Sreesanth and possibly Ashwin returning, just to get them up to speed. Dhoni should convince Harbhajan to attack and take risks, and assure him of protection. They should also give more chances, and possibly more protection, to Yusuf Pathan, so that he can be the fifth bowler- he's a better and more useful choice than Yuvraj. The runs Yuvraj scores are far more relevant, so h e should concentrate on that. Netherlands are no threat, and India may eventually make the knockouts, so they need to sharpen all fifteen points of the blade when they face a trophy contender there.
You take what you get in fielding. Dhoni's spread-out fields demand nine Jonty clones, but all of these fielders, except Munaf, are either decent or breathtaking, man for man.
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