Attack, attack, attack – India’s Gen Z shows what’s in store for coming years
India had to chase down 263 in 50 overs. The required run rate at the beginning of the innings was 5.28, an easy task for the modern batting line-ups. By the time India lost their two wickets, they had put up 143 runs on the board in just 18 overs. The required run rate was now down to 3.75. All that was left in the game was reaching milestones and completing the formality. The aggressive approach at the start took the wind out of the target, that is how India’s Gen Z went about it.
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Prithvi Shaw has played 5 Tests and 4 ODIs for India but he is yet to feature in India’s T20I side. He batted in the first ODI as if he was auditioning for the role which will surely be his once the incumbents move out. The second ball of the chase was a length ball from Dushmantha Chameera which Shaw punched through the cover for a boundary. Chameera erred on the next ball and provided Shaw with width outside off stump, the result was the same. India were off to a flier.
SHAW, YOU BEAUTY!!! 🤩
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In his breezy knock, Shaw smashed nine of the 24 deliveries that he faced for a boundary. This includes three consecutive fours in Isuru Udana’s over. His 43-run innings was short but it was impactful. India had already crossed their team fifty and the Lankan bowlers were already feeling the heat. Shaw was adjudged Player of the Match for his efforts.
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Ishan Kishan walked out to bat on his debut. Shaw had gotten out but he had already provided a flying start. Kishan, the birthday boy who turned 23 on the match day, decided to go with the flow. Facing his first ball, Kishan danced down the track and struck a six off Dhananjaya de Silva. The next ball went for a four, the debutant reached 10*(2). The intent was loud and clear. No respite, attack from the onset!
That was some birthday bash! 💥#SLvIND #INDvsSL pic.twitter.com/SupiuOwRNv
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Kishan went to complete his half-century in 33 balls, 2nd fastest in ODI cricket by a debutant. He had begun his ODI career earlier this year in the same vein. He became the first Indian batsman to achieve the feat of scoring fifties on both his ODI and T20I debuts. His 59 off 42 balls studded with 8 fours and 2 sixes practically killed the chase. Later, Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey and Suryakumar Yadav got India home with 80 balls and seven wickets remaining.
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Before the first ODI against Sri Lanka, India played three ODIs against England earlier this year. Their scores after 10 overs were 39/0 (1st ODI), 41/2 (2nd ODI) and 65/0 (3rd ODI). The senior Indian team were facing a stronger bowling attack but the shift in intent shown by Shaw and Kishan is noticeable. While the risky approach may not come off every time, it is refreshing to see India making an attempt at playing aggressive cricket.
The 2019 World Cup champions, England, have shown how successful teams can be in 50-over cricket with this all-out approach. While India have world-class openers in Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, more or less, their approach in the initial overs is one of caution. Now with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being absent, the youngsters are out to display the brand of cricket they prefer to play.
India still have two more ODIs and three T20I to play against Sri Lanka. If the Indian batsmen continue to meet the opposition head-on, we are in for some thrilling action. It is not only about if they win or not, it is also about how they win. The aggressive approach may attract criticism when it fails but it will surely revolutionise Indian cricket – one match at a time.
