New Delhi: When Rohit Sharma was asked about his choice had he won the toss against Australia, the Indian skipper’s comment indicated that he wanted to break the monotony of batting first. “We would have fielded first as well, looks a bit sticky. We wanted to chase,” he remarked.
Mitchell Marsh put India into bat at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia, a decision that came back to haunt the Aussies as India, led by a rampant Rohit, hammered the Australian bowling attack to all corners of the park and posted 205 for 5 in 20 overs.
Toss becomes crucial in the semi-final clash between India and England, especially with the prediction of heavy rainfall in Guyana. In seven fixtures, India have batted first four times and chased only twice. Their last league game against Canada was washed out in Florida rains.
The Men in Blue have batted first in all their three Super Eight games, winning all after successfully defending the target against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia. While Rohit wanted to chase against Australia, it was a different ball altogether with India’s qualification in the semis all but certain.
The semi-final against England presents a totally different challenge. India would look at all the aspects and take the decision wisely, provided they win the toss.
If Rohit follows the trend and pattern of recent outings, he would be tempted to bat first. India’s form while batting first has been exemplary. In all three Super Eight games, Indian batters produced a dominant display, smashing 181/8 against Afghanistan, 196/5 against Bangladesh and 205/5 against Australia. The Indian bowlers backed the batters, comfortably defending the totals on all three occasions.
But against Jos Buttler’s England, Indian bowlers might not breathe so easy irrespective of the first-innings total the team posts.
The Three Lions are fresh from chasing down a massive 181-run target in just 17.3 overs against the West Indies. Even if the co-hosts had posted a 220+ total, England, with 15 balls and eight wickets in hand, would have easily hunted down the target. The all-guns-blazing template of English batters can make any target look small and India have a firsthand experience of the English onslaught.
The bitter memories of Adelaide mauling
Many fans are calling the semi-final a revenge match for it gives India an opportunity to get even with the English side, which annihilated the Indian bowling attack in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval.
While 168 is not considered a big T20 total anymore, it is a decent score, especially in a World Cup knockout match. Courtesy of half-centuries from Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli, India posted 168/8 in 20 overs. But Jos Buttler (80* off 49) and Alex Hales (86* off 47) decimated the Indian bowling attack and romped home in just 16 overs to break the Indian hearts.
The bitter memories of the infamous defeat might help India resist the temptation of batting first.
Moreover, India suffered their latest ICC knockout heartbreak after failing to defend the total against Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023.
T20 WC: Bat or bowl? What should India choose if skipper Rohit Sharma wins the toss in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final against England. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
