#TFGtake: Are flat pitches & high-scoring games helping Indian cricket?

FOLLOWING three ODIs, each constituting more than 600 runs between them, India prevailed over England 2-1 in the closely-fought series. Kohli's men lost the third and the final game at Eden by a whisker after scripting nail-biting finishes in the initial two games. The new limited-overs skipper attributed the success of his to the performance of the youngsters against English pacemen. 

In the opening game, Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav combined a gritty 200 to piggyback the hosts in chasing massive 351-run target. India concluded the game with nearly two overs to spare.  

In the second ODI, batting first, India rode on the coattails of Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni to compile a formidable first-inning score. And, even though skipper Kohli regarded the total to be a bit far-fetched for his opposition, Eoin Morgan’s men almost made the Indian skipper consume the humble pie. 

Such wins undoubtedly bring overwhelming joy to the fans and followers of Indian cricket. Watching them play their adversaries at home, we are nearly getting accustomed to seeing them hammer the oppositions’ bowling attack on our small grounds and flat pitches. However, despite witnessing these entertaining home victories, one question that should be bothering Indian cricket is – how much is the team benefitting from these kinds of favourable batting tracks. 

It is clear as a bell that if the Indian team wishes to see itself at the top of all formats of cricket, for a healthy five-ten years, it will need to evaluate its performances and work out on its weaknesses regularly. Thus, in the grander scheme of things, the men running Indian cricket need to ensure that the wins and the development go hand in hand. 

If we look back at our past 15-20 ODI games at home, there has rarely been a contest where seamers have played an instrumental role in defending a modest total. Before sealing the ongoing series against England, India had emerged with an upper hand in a five-match ODI series against Kiwis. 

Barring Zimbabwe, India had last flown abroad for an ODI series to Australia in early 2016. And, the result wasn’t worth remembering. India got thrashed 4-1 after it failed to protect 300-odd runs in the first three ODIs. With the experience of bowling on rank turners and flat pitches, the bowling department was unable to create any significant impact Down Under. But as the old adage says – It is not how we make mistakes but how we correct them that defines us. India's think-tank will do well to find a solution for the chink in the armour. 

With the Champions Trophy 2017 set to kick-off in England in less than six months, the Indian team members need to ask themselves whether they are equipped enough to apply brakes to the opposition’s innings on fast pitches. With the blend of opening pair woes and a less-experienced seam attack, the team appears with no apparent plan to face quick and bouncy tracks in England. 

Following the limited-overs series against England, the Indian team will lock horns with Australia in a four-match Test series. And, the conclusion of the Aussie tour of India will lead into the start of two-month long Indian Premier League. Following which, the squad will fly England to give a go at the Champions Trophy. 

Sure, Indian cricket is on a high after all the recent Test and ODI success, but all this will be soon irrelevant and forgotten when the Champs Trophy gets underway. Barring a few batsmen, the rest have a wobbly technique to impress in England, and moreover, the bowling appears far from potent. 

But be that as it may, for the betterment of Indian cricket and for being world-beaters across formats, the governing body in the country needs to take a call on whether it is really worth playing on high-scoring home tracks at the cost of a major tournament.

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