India's chance to drive away blues

PERTH: India desperately need the services of Rohit Sharma, especially the way he batted in the nets on Thursday. But the team management is unwilling to take chances with him the physio feels he is still a good week away from being match-fit.
India, thus, have no option but to continue with the struggling Shikhar Dhawan as the opener in a must win game against England at the WACA on Friday.
India were swept away by the England pace duo of James Anderson and Steven Finn on a bouncy Gabba pitch last week. The WACA wicket has a reputation of being the fastest and bounciest in Australia, and with Rohit missing from the lineup, it would be no exaggeration to say that the Englishmen would fancy their chances of overcoming India and earning the right to meet Australia in Sunday's triseries final.
India have their task cut out against the rampaging English pacemen. The openers need to ensure that they negotiate the initial overs without losing wickets. If they can ride the early storm, that would give India a good chance of putting up a defendable total on the board. That's the only way they can register their first win on the tour and make it to the final.
If the Indians put it across the England team, the pain of losing the Test series and two tri-series matches would be lessened and they would also take many positives into the World Cup, whatever the outcome of the final.
For that to happen, India would hope for Dhawan to get out of the rut and show the other batsmen the way. The southpaw looked shaky in the nets but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is willing to back him to the hilt.
"He needs to spend quality 15-20 minutes at the crease, playing the ball on merit. Once he starts middling the ball, it would be a matter of time before he finds his form," Dhoni said, more in hope than with confidence.
Besides, there is the issue of Virat Kohli's batting order, which is so crucial to India's plans ­ not only on Friday but also in the World Cup. A rampaging Kohli would be half the battle won. He needs to regain his form, even batting at No. 4.
Of course, he had scored four centuries in as many matches batting at No. 3 in Test series. The good thing is that he is looking in good nick and it's only a matter of time before he comes good, whatever his batting number.
India are fairly sure about the batting lineup even in Rohit's absence. But on the bowling front they face the dilemma of going in with either two spinners or using three frontline pacers. That means they would have to choose between Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav as one of the bowling options, with Stuart Binny filling in as the third medium pacer to Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is certain to play.
India's focus no doubt is on the match on hand on Friday but they are also looking at a bigger World Cup picture. Getting the combination right is going to be crucial.
"We would like to have all the 15 players fit. We need to be in a situation where we can call upon any player depending on the conditions at the venue," Dhoni said.