Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A Look At India's Run In ODI

Well a couple of days back, cricket avatar had written about the status of team India in test cricket which shows that India had wins against only two teams namely Sri Lanka and New Zealand in 2009, one of which was at home and the other one owing to the fact that it was the senior pros that won the only game against the Kiwis out of the three that were scheduled. Added to this would be the fact that India gained a lot due to other teams' bad performances. Now, a quick look at team India's run in the one dayers will be of some worth one can suppose.

In the past one year or so, though team India has played enough number of games, the number of teams that India has faced is not justified. Majority of India's wins came against Sri Lanka, against which India won 8 out of the 11 matches that it played with Sri Lanka winning just 2. The other major team that India has faced in 2009 is Australia against which it has played 7 matches out of which India could manage just 2 wins and in the ICC Champions trophy, team India managed to escape from the jaws of defeat after the game was ruled out.

Then, India played a game against Pakistan in the ICC Champions trophy which it lost convincingly. And the other teams that India have played against include New Zealand and West Indies. Though the 3-1 victory against New Zealand can be given a pat on the back, the ones against the West Indies can never be. India managed to win the series against New Zealand in New Zealand which is something good for India. West Indies is not the team that any team would be satisfied beating be it at home or otherwise. In addition, India won the tri series against Sri Lanka that New Zealand was also a part of.

In the ICC Champions trophy, India's lone win came against West Indies that was stripped of the big guns that included Chris Gayle and co. If the 9 test playing teams in the world are given a closer look at, only victories against the teams namely Pakistan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand (to some extent) can be worth it. A win against even a team like England cannot guarantee a caliber for any team though ICC considers the matches against minnows as valid one day internationals in deciding the rating the team is to be given. India had two close encounters against Australia, where India lost by a small margin, but however, all these were at home.

So, on can conclude that India's wins have either come against weak oppositions or at home or subcontinent conditions that has placed it in the number 2 spot in the latest ICC's one day ratings.

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