Why India Lost Important Games?: Well we were just recovering from the loss against Pakistan but what happened against Srilanka has clearly broken us. India suffered its second loss of Super 4 which diminishes its chances of reaching the finals of the Asia Cup 2022, let alone winning it. It was understood that the India versus Pakistan cricket match is always a high tension game even if it occurs twice in one week. India played Pakistan on Sunday and it was not a pleasant sight for India fans. The team lost but what was more enraging was how they lost it. The story continues against Srilanka and it doesn’t sit right. The loss felt like the team is incapable of pulling off what is demanded from the game and against a good team. It raises questions about how they will flare when put against teams even better in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The Batting Dwindle

We all cheered when we saw scoreboard running like a ticking bomb. It was all fun and games but those big shots did not come responsibly and that too from experienced players. It was Rohit Sharma against Srilanka and Virat Kohli against Pakistan, the rest, all batters tried the new approach, the big hit. We are seeking it but we are not able to pull it off. That hit was a miss and definitely cost the team 20 odd runs short which eventually resulted in a failure in both matches.

The Bumrah Reliance

When Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Nawaz were hitting India bowlers all over the park, all we were missing was that one over from Bumrah that would have changed the momentum for the team. The same happened against Srilanka, their openers were freed to settle and they turned the game towards them. Later Rajapaksa and Shanaka cleared way through some thrilling hits. None of the bowlers could manage to get breakthroughs that were required to stop the teams, consistently and at regular intervals . When the wickets came, it was too late. The damage was done.

The Sloppy Body Language

No one can forget the moment when Arshdeep Singh dropped that catch. Going by the cliche, catches win matches, it was proven that night. That moment everyone felt their heart in their mouth and for the right reasons. Were it some energy from players in both the matches, we could have expected better results for the team.

The Under-Estimate Game

Why does a game against Pakistan always have to be about considering the opponents a weaker one? We are not judging militaries but sport and Pakistan has time in and out proven at the world stage that they are not weaker than any. And even though Srilanka has all sorts of crises at their home, does it make sense if we associate it with their economic conditions? The contest we had on Sunday was not like the previous Sunday where the total was less and only bowling was judged and that being forté of Pakistan, their comeback cameo was taken for granted. Meanwhile, Srilanka had come from a stupendous win against very worthy Afghanistan which makes it clear that both teams are beyond weaker. We should have kept it in mind that their chances of winning the match is 50-50.

The Selector’s Choice

India’s squad for Asia Cup 2022 calls for trouble. It only has 3 fast bowlers and a bunch of spinners. This time in UAE, we saw it wasn’t just spinners doing the magic. It is also the skill of fast bowlers that sets the tone of the game in early overs or getting breakthroughs in the middle. India clearly missed a pacer with experience. Not the players who are injured but players who are more experienced. As we near T20 World Cup 2022 squad announcement deadline, the pressure should now be on selectors to choose a squad, definitely according to the venue but also about the balance.

India will not win every match it plays. With over confidence also comes a drawback that they start taking things easy. These losses are lessons to correct our mistakes in most of the ICC events where India has found it difficult to prove its point as world dominator in cricket. We win as many bilateral series but we have to understand we call the World cup the biggest tournament for a reason and winning that does prove a point.

The loss against Pakistan felt a little too emotional as it was not Afghanistan so that the pity picture doesn’t work there but against Srilanka, all the boxes are checked to clearly say that India did not play upto the mark and has a lot of improvements to make even as the best team in T20 cricket according to the rankings.