We all know that Twenty20 is all about momentum and Sachin Tendulkar messed up big time on that count yesterday against Chennai Super Kings. It was only the sixth over of
the chase when Tendulkar's body language suggested he was in trouble. He sat down to take a breather after stepping out to hit R Ashwin over the top for a four. That sight would have been okay in say over 35 of an ODI but in over 6 of a Twenty20 it was a clear indication that the heat had taken its toll. Tendulkar ideally should have retired ill at that point. Forty-six for no loss off 5.4 overs was a good start for a chase of 165.
Instead he chose to stay on. Shikhar Dhawan fell first ball of the seventh over, and perhaps that's why Tendulkar must have thought that he should stay longer. Also, till that time, Tendulkar had scored 28 off 19 while Dhawan managed just 16 off 18. Maybe Tendulkar felt the others would find it tough to get going on the slow track. With Tendulkar not in top gear, the scoring rate dipped and by the end of nine overs (at the time of the time-out), the required run-rate had crept up to 9.45.
Tendulkar finally went off the field during the time-out. From there on, a combination of rash strokes and some excellent work by Chennai sealed the game. But perhaps it was the momentum lost in the three overs that Tendulkar overstayed and his exit with the team at the precarious position after nine overs (compared to the situation after the six Powerplay overs) that made it Chennai's day. With the fielding side in the ascendancy and the required run-rate a touch on the higher side, Rayudu, Bravo, Tiwary and Pollard fell attempting big shots. Obviously, this analysis would have been redundant had these batsmen stood up to the pressure and not crumbled like nine pins.
So why harp on overs 7-9 when the rest weren't up to the task. Well, in Twenty20, you expect a settled batsman to score at the rate required or more. Instead, a tiring Tendulkar was forced to nudge it around against the spinners and made just 11 off 11 since that boundary he got against Ashwin in the sixth over. With Tiwary finding it tough to score, Chennai were gaining control of the game. Say, instead of Tendulkar, a new batsman could have pretty much scored at a run-a-ball while getting his eye in. Or maybe not. But at least the batsmen would have had a chance to settle down before the run-rate started soaring.
Also, Tendulkar's late exit denied Bravo or Pollard the chance to don more responsibilities while chasing. Their all-round roles means Mumbai are unlikely to drop them, and with a semi-final slot pretty much assured, Tendulkar could have entrusted one of them with seeing the team through instead of challenging his own body. It would have helped eased the worry that Mumbai's batting is a one-man show just like India of the 90s. Although Dhawan, Tiwary and Rayudu have done well, it's obvious that having Tendulkar at the other end or a good start from the captain is really a confidence boost for the rest. And Bravo and Pollard are yet to play a substantial innings with the bat.
That brings us to the point that perhaps the successful run Mumbai have notched up so far might hurt them in the end. Because that's the nature of Twenty20. The team can get a bit complacent. But more worrying is that their wins have mostly been easy, with not much disruptions to their set plans before the game. The bowlers are in good form, and Tendulkar had managed to rotate them well. But what if a Malinga has a off day. Or if Tendulkar gets out early? Will Mumbai be able to recover and still win a game despite those hiccups. Last year, Delhi were huge favourites going into the semi-finals but were blown away by a
Gilchrist blitzkrieg. Also, they ended up at two down for 0 after the first over of the game.
Will Mumbai suffer the same fate like Delhi did last time? Perhaps Tendulkar deserves a short break and let his team-mates slog it out during the coming set of mostly away games. He needs to let others take charge of the side.
It's not that planning doesn't help. This year it is clear that Kings XI Punjab didn't plan well enough before the tournament. Waiting for Shaun Marsh and Brett Lee to deliver results after returning from injuries showed the management's lack of faith in the rest, or maybe the inability to find the right guys to perform in their absence. Yes, it's easy criticising them sitting on the sidelines but isn't that why you have a team management? So is it surprising that the team's that struggling had their head coach joining them only after the first game?
But only when those plans are put into practice can you assess and rectify them or in some cases, find new ones. Shane Warne's 'surprise the opposition camp' tactics worked really well during the first season. But the same may not be as effective now since teams are used to it. However, losing and struggling does give teams the opportunity to relook their strategies. If the reworked plans work, then they at least have the experience of knowing the situations where one needs to be flexible in changing set plans. Also, a few close games in the league stage, especially winning them, also ends up helping the team. Mumbai's wins haven't really been humdingers, apart from the Yusuf one. Which brings me to the point, did Mumbai have a plan B then?
