India’s huge win in Mohali, just a stone’s throw from Delhi, the site of the next Test which gets underway a week from today, has many Indian fans are thinking “Ab Dilli Door Nahin." 

However there are a couple of spanners that could be thrown into the works and bring the Indian momentum from Mohali to a shuddering halt.  The first of these spanners is the thorny issue of what to do about Anil Kumble the bowler?  It is almost blasphemous to question the right of India’s greatest Test wicket taker and Test match winner to be included in the Indian team, if he his fit, but yet that question is being asked.  There are two reasons for this.  First of all Indian fans are unsure of whether even when fully fit (one presumes he was fully fit during the previous Tests he has played this year) he is anywhere near the bowler he once was.  If the explanation for his dismal performance of 52 runs per wicket and a wicket every 100 balls in 2008, while bowling mostly on spin friedly sub-continental wickets, is that he played some matches while carrying an injury, that begs a whole separate set of questions.

And second potential spanner in the works is the question is what to do about Anil Kumble, the captain? Indian fans are quite clear in their mind that whatever merit Kumble has a bowler and fighting cricketer, which is an immense amount, he just doesn’t have that spark as captain.  He can seem remote, and often seemingly making changes based on some rote formulas, almost via remote control.  He often doesn’t seem to be able to really read the big moments in the game as well as Dhoni and often seems oblivious to the chances to exploint weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the opposition.  Kumble's approach seems reactive rather than proactive.  Against strong opposition like Australia that approach is self-negating. 

By contrast, his under-study and likely successor, has shown a proactive approach that constantly aims to push the other team on the back foot, and if they are on the back foot, then looks to push them to the floor, and if they are on the floor, then to keep the foot on their necks.  This controlled, yet aggressive approach has seen Dhoni maintain a 100% win record inflicting massive defeats on South Africa and Australia in the two matches he has led the side.  What is even more impressive than the huge margin of victory is the fact that they came following an innings defeat by South Africa in the first case and a Test where India just about managed to save the match against a rampant Australia in the second. In other words, Dhoni was able to lift India and turn the tables spectacularly on opposition who had their tails up.

If India are to continue with their winning momentum it is imperative that they continue this “in-your-face” approach and not allow any complacency to creep into their approach.   It seems unlikely that Anil Kumble can provide that, though it is not impossible that he can, as Kumble did lead the team to a famous win in Perth, with just that sort “go-for-broke” attitude that is required here.  One must take his “I am raring to go” comment in this light.

It is almost certain that Amit Mishra who took 7 wickets on debut, i.e. about the same number that Kumble has taken in his last four matches, will sit out.  If Mishra does sit out, the pressure on Kumble to perform will be immense and rightly so.  India need him to continue the sort of form he has shown at the Feroz Shah Kotla over his career (55 wickets at just over 15 runs each), in this what could be his last Test match there.  Otherwise Delhi may prove to be the turning point that allows Australia to claw its way back into the series.  And the goal of a series win could fade into the mist, like that often found on a Delhi winter's morning.

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