Are Gautam Gambhir and his coaching staff feeling the heat? After two Test whitewashes at home in the last 12 months, has the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) given them an ultimatum? Ryan ten Doeschate’s comments on the eve of the India vs South Africa 3rd ODI certainly suggest so.
Indian management under pressure?
In the aftermath of the Test pumping from the Proteas, India’s assistant coach has admitted feeling desperation to win the ODI series. There was a flurry of concerns in red-ball cricket, but those issues haven’t bled into white-ball cricket. Despite being level at 1-1, one can say India has played some fantastic cricket.
“When results start going against you, and performances fall below our standards, there is naturally a bit of desperation from a series perspective. But the group is used to operating under pressure. It never really leaves this team. A bilateral decider brings its own pressure, and we try to focus on our processes, work out what a good score is, and let the batting group chase that target,” India’s assistant coach told reporters in Visakhapatnam.
The dew factor persists
However, India can’t afford to slip up at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. In Ranchi and Raipur, the Men in Blue didn’t have luck on their side. On both occasions, South Africa won the toss and opted to chase. The playing conditions changed drastically in both matches, handing the Proteas an advantage.
Ryan realises this and expects dew to play a significant role in the Visakhapatnam ODI as well. But he’s confident that India will cope with the challenges and come out on top.
“The dew is huge here. It’s not something we can control, but it’s on us to adapt. This is a high-scoring ground with small boundaries, and the real challenge is managing the difference between batting first and chasing,” he added.
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