World Cup 2023: Concerns regarding Team India’s struggle against left-arm pacers were put to bed in IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash. However, Sri Lanka exposed Rohit and Co.’s other flaw during IND vs SL Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash. Dinuth Wellalega and Charith Asalanka ran through India’s star-studded batting line-up as India lost all 10 wickets to spinners for the first time in ODI history.
Wellalanga picked a 5-fer while Asalanka took 4 wickets as the Men in Blue bundled out for 213 runs in 49.1 overs. It was the 14th consecutive match where the defending champions bowled out the opposition.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was the top scorer with 53 runs. While pitch played its part in Team India’s collapse, their tactics to counter the spin have raised big concerns. KL Rahul was the only Indian batter who managed to score runs against the Lanka spin trio.
Why India’s struggle vs spin big concern ahead of World Cup 2023?
Sub-continent players grow up playing on dry pitches and are considered masters of playing spin. It was evident in Team India’s previous two encounters against arch-rivals Pakistan where they smashed Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed for plenty.
But their footwork and tactics against a quality Sri Lankan spin attack raise a concern before the World Cup.
India’s top 5 vs Sri Lankan spinners in Asia Cup 2023
| Players name | Balls faced vs Spin | Runs Scored | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | 5 | 2 | 40 |
| Virat Kohli | 10 | 3 | 30 |
| Rohit Sharma | 10 | 6 | 60 |
| KL Rahul | 43 | 39 | 90.69 |
| Hardik Pandya | 18 | 5 | 27.7 |
Most of the Indian pitches are expected to be spin-friendly. Team India will play Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Narendra Modi Stadium and Wankhede Stadium, respectively in World Cup 2023. These pitches are known for producing rank turners. And with the form Sri Lankan spinners have shown, the Men in Blue might see the same fate in front of their home crowd.
Among India’s top 4, it is Virat Kohli who will be under the spotlight, considering his struggles against off-spin in recent years. The 34-year-old has been dismissed 14 times in 44 innings since 2020 with a dip in strike rate (108).
With ODI World Cup less than a month away, Rahul Dravid and Team India will have to get back to the drawing board to find a quick solution.
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