Bat first or chase, captain's dilemma on winning toss at Wankhede

Anis Sajan

Direct Hit

Team India for the first time in World Cup history have won nine matches in a row and are just two games away from winning the World Cup at home. For the first five games, India won chasing, and everyone felt the best chance for India in this World Cup was to chase as they looked comfortable in it. But when England put India in for batting first in their sixth game, they struggled but thanks to Rohit Sharma and Surya Kumar Yadav they put on a total which their bowlers defended easily. And in their last three matches too India batted first and won their games easily.

So now the big question for captain Rohit would be what should he do in the semifinals if he wins the toss at Wankhede Stadium? I was there for the India Sri Lanka game on November 2 at Wankhede where India were asked to bat first. Both the Sri Lankan fast bowlers Dilshan Madhushanka and Dushmantha Chameera troubled the Indian top batters. Madhushanka knocked Rohit with a peach and both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli were dropped. There was enough in the wicket for both the Sri Lankan seamers and beat the bat many times but unlucky not to get an edge.

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Both the batters survived that and then the wicket became a belter to bat and India went on to pile up 357 which was more than a par score. Indian seamers led by Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah skittled out Sri Lanka for just 55. There was so much swing and seam that the batsman found it difficult and were all at sea. And in the game between Afghanistan and Australia few days later, it was again movement for Afghan fast bowlers and at one stage Australia were 91-7.

It was through the brilliance of Glenn Maxwell; Australia won that game. But history says Wankhede is a good chasing ground after the initial movement for the first 15 overs as India chased down 288 against Sri Lanka in the World Cup final in 2011.

So would Rohit decide to chase keeping in mind how the dew makes it easy for chasing later in the evening. It's a tough call to take for the captain either to bat first or chase. I would not be surprised if New Zealand win the toss will bat first as they have the fast bowlers in Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson to trouble the Indian batsmen under lights. Moreover, it's a knockout game and India in the past have lost all their four semifinals chasing, the last one in 2019 at Manchester. Rohit too I feel will be comfortable batting first if he wins the toss as his fast bowlers have delivered under lights. It needs to be seen what the captain decides after winning the toss? Your guess is as good as mine.