Trisha Ghosal in Visakhapatnam
India’s World Cup campaign hit a roadblock in Vizag, with back-to-back defeats against South Africa and Australia. From 302/5 to 330 all out, India once again faltered at the death and the decision to go in with just five bowlers added to their woes. Head coach Amol Muzumdar addressed the media after the loss, reflecting on the team’s batting, bowling balance, and lessons ahead.
Finishing, the key area of improvement
“According to me, finishing is extremely important in cricket,” Muzumdar stressed when asked about the consecutive defeats. “I always say in the dressing room that while a good start matters, a better finish wins you games. Against South Africa, we lost in the last five overs while bowling, and today, maybe 20 more runs could have changed things. But it’s been a gradual progress, there are plenty of positives. One big learning is to finish well, both with bat and ball.”
330 was a good score, but execution could have been sharper
Asked about India’s failure to push past 350 despite multiple batters getting starts, Muzumdar defended the effort. “I would not like to name anybody. I think it was a superb batting effort to reach 330,” he said. “Of course, in hindsight, we can always say another 20 runs would have helped, but that’s not how we look at it. There are a lot of takeaways from this batting display. 330, I believe, was a very challenging total on this wicket.”
Dot-ball percentage under review
India’s dot-ball percentage, around 48% against Australia, was again higher than ideal. Muzumdar admitted it’s an ongoing discussion within the set-up. “After the South Africa game, we had a long discussion about our batting approach. Dot-ball percentage was one of the key areas we looked at. Over the last year and-a-half, we’ve tried to play more aggressive cricket, and I thought today was a better display of that intent,” he said. “The dot-ball percentage has come down, but yes, 48% is still high. We’ll have a closer look and aim to bring it down further.”
Australia’s experience showed
Muzumdar credited Australia’s composure under pressure. “Credit to them, honestly. They batted exceptionally well,” he said. “The way they started and the way they finished, to get to 330 with an over to spare, that was a phenomenal effort. We tried to build pressure, but they’re a very experienced side. Many of them have been playing together for almost a decade. You saw Ellyse Perry finish things off, that experience shows. They batted magnificently.”
Open to rethinking team balance
With India relying on just five frontline bowlers for consecutive games, questions were raised about the need for a sixth option. Muzumdar confirmed that the team management would reassess. “Obviously, after this game, we’ll sit down and have a proper discussion. The team management will definitely assess what’s needed going into the next match. If we feel an extra bowling option is the right call, we’ll take that decision accordingly.”
Batting order flexible but within limits
On whether India could be more flexible with promoting aggressive batters like Richa Ghosh or Jemimah Rodrigues when set platforms are available, Muzumdar said the team prefers stability at the top. “We have a fairly settled batting line-up, and I wouldn’t want to shuffle it too much,” he said. “But yes, when the need arises, we are flexible. You’ve seen that flexibility in the lower order, Richa moving up, Deepti coming in as a left-hand option who can rotate strike. We do have that luxury. But at the top, we prefer stability; too much chopping and changing can affect rhythm.”
Backing instinct and freedom for batters
When asked whether the coaching group guides batters on approach in the final overs, Muzumdar smiled. “What do you think, do we guide them or not? Of course, there are plans and discussions, but once you’re out there, it’s a game of instincts. Sometimes those shots come off, sometimes they don’t. I don’t want to focus on one incident or player. We’ll look at the whole game collectively and see where we can improve.”
Youngsters earning praise
Muzumdar was effusive in his praise for World Cup debutants Kranti Gaud and Sree Charani. “They’ve been exceptional. Kranti bowled beautifully against Pakistan, and today Sree Charani, against a top-quality Australian batting line-up, gave just around 40 runs in her 10 overs and picked up key wickets,” he said. “Both are young, vibrant, and bring great energy to the dressing room. And I think you’ll agree with me, our fielding today was excellent. The girls threw themselves around and saved plenty of runs. That’s a big positive. We may have lost this one, but performances like these from our youngsters are very encouraging.”
