India's World T20 battle plans well adjusted

It is little more than two years since South Asia's sole representative at the last dysfunctionally organised World Cup was down to the battered island of Sri Lanka, where terrorism still stalked the streets.

Pakistan had with equal major embarrassment unceremoniously followed India as also rans – thrashed by a bunch of amateurs who were sneered at by the so-called more professional Test nations. Losing to Ireland though was far worse than India's demise in their Group B where they lost to neighbours Bangladesh and then Sri Lanka.

It was a time when Asian brotherhood was forgotten as each side had their own agenda in an adapt-and-survive method of approach instead of the wreckless cold comfort felt by India in Group B, the group of death. Bangladesh were never going to advance beyond the super eights, neither were Ireland, but at least they had an impact on the tournament.

With the International Cricket Council's World T20 the showbiz buzz end of the game, this shorter limited-overs version is going to throw up all types of results. It showed, too, as the Irish were far more innovative than Bangladesh, who paid for their wreckless approach.

Ireland's club and player base may be larger than New Zealand, but lack a first-class competition, creates problems and exposure of their player depth. Pakistan, like India, have talent and a first-class state-based player infrastructure. Netherlands have a vibrant club and academy system and a lot of hope. But expecting them to pull off another unlikely success at Lord's was asking too much of a side lacking the exposure of a cut and thrust style of game.

This means that the nomadic Pakistanis were able to sail safely into the super eights, where the competition is going to be far tougher, as shown by Sri Lanka's level-head approach to their game against Australia. Little wonder Ricky Ponting was left bemused by it all and time to reflect the way his side succumbed to teams where ingenuity as well as talent explains their success.

Now those who cared to watch the carnage vented on Australia's bowling by a Caribbean hurricane labelled 'Gayle' at The Oval cannot dismiss such strident batting styles as a one-off fluke. It was an approach that not only exposed the Australia 20/20 gameplan but left them desperately searching for the answers they failed to find when playing Sri Lanka.

They had no clue at all against spin when playing South Africa in April and this further exposed their flaws and more remarkably batting technique. There was no adaption plan and where they were made to look even more foolish. The Allan Border/Mark Taylor years where batsmen knew how to handle spin has long disappeared and displayed their faulty preparation.

The modest, yet thoughtful coach Gary Kirsten is someone who understands how technical flaws so often lead to major tactical on-field mistakes. Where players need reminding of the importance of thinking on their feet to meet the challenge. It is why he has carefully monitored India's pre-tournament planning in the build up and where Mahendra Singh Dhoni understands such a careful strategy involved with this type of preparation.

Kirsten is someone who had been spending quality time in assessing the team's mental approach to the tournament as well as how the players train as they go about defending the title won on September 24 in 2007. You can bet, just as he went to England to check the pitch conditions being used for the ICC event that he has absorbed and through interpretation, incorporated lessons learnt from the late Bob Woolmer when he was coach of rivals South Africa. It is where the adaptation policy becomes ever important and each player knows his role in the shape of a particular game's battle plan.

It is easy to understand such a methodical approach. It explains the point that now is not the time for Kirsten to take risks, and where Virender Sehwag's injury adds to concerns adjusting the balance of the team. As Sehwag's bowling can also play a part in the game, and spin bowling is seen as an important factor in playing sides where there is batting depth, the need to improve the side's stability in such conditions.

The absence of any top player, whose talents can be utilised in any role, make for a tricky who to include when it comes to bowling strategies. Ponting bemoaned how Australia's bowlers made costly errors against Sri Lanka; they were merely a repeat of those made against the West Indies and it showed in the scoreline. It shows yet again how important are the nuances in planning a game and a blending of ideas and looking at opposition when it comes to planning a bowling attack.

At this level each bowler has four overs, less than half those available in a normal 50/50 over game and where there is a need to function at a high adrenalin rate with tight accuracy to meet the batting challenges. It is where the fifth and sixth bowler can fluctuate in any given gameplan. It is also, where those with quality skills at Test and first-class level are far more proficient than those who lack such expertise. In this case, statistics do not lie.