With the three-match ODI series against South Africa poised at 1-1, Team India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has openly acknowledged the mounting pressure on the hosts ahead of the crucial final match in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. This comes after India lost the preceding Test series 2-0.
Pressure Mounts for Series Decider
Speaking to the media on Friday, the former Netherlands all-rounder stated that pressure is a constant companion for a team of India's stature, especially when a bilateral series is on the line. "I don't think pressure ever goes away for this team, and more so when a bilateral series is on the line," ten Doeschate said.
He elaborated that the players are acutely aware of the responsibility they carry. The recent string of losses has added a sense of urgency. "We always want to win but when losses start stacking up and performances are below what we expect from ourselves... there is a slight desperation to win the series here," he admitted, highlighting the team's mindset going into the must-win encounter.
Addressing the All-Rounder Conundrum and Dew Factor
The coach also addressed the ongoing criticism of India's preference for fielding multiple all-rounders in Test cricket, a format traditionally reliant on specialists. He defended the strategy by emphasizing current form and team balance. "Ideally in Test cricket you have a more solid base of batters and bowlers but we feel at the moment the guys who are doing the job for us happen to be allrounders. It is about picking your best XI," ten Doeschate explained.
Looking ahead to the Vizag decider, he identified dew as a significant factor that could influence the toss and the game's outcome. "It's obviously not our fault but it is our responsibility to find a way to get around that (dew). The biggest challenge is the disparity between batting first and batting second because of dew," he noted, indicating the tactical planning required to counter the conditions.
Bowling Strategy and Sundar's Role Clarified
Furthermore, ten Doeschate provided clarity on the bowling roles within the ODI setup, specifically addressing Washington Sundar's limited number of overs in the series. He outlined the team's balanced bowling attack. "We have three seamers, you've got Kuldeep as your wicket-taking spinner and then the two (Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja) to make up the six bowlers. So, in those conditions we're not going to bowl more than 20 overs of spin," he stated, suggesting that Sundar's role is defined within the team's broader strategic framework.
As the teams gear up for the series finale, all eyes will be on how India manages the pressure, the dew, and the South African challenge to clinch the ODI series on home soil.
