T20 World Cup | India was tested, but the winning start should provide it momentum

First steps in a global championship can be tricky, and India did reasonably well at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday. The defending champion opened its campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup on a winning note.

A 4-1 T20I series victory over New Zealand may have been the backdrop but a World Cup offers a different spectrum. It is a platform for the lesser-fancied units to test the bigger teams, and the odd coup is possible. Seen in that context, India managed to avoid a banana peel moment.

A 29-run triumph against the United States of America (USA) may seem easy but there were moments when India was tested. Stepping in without an indisposed Jasprit Bumrah, the Men in Blue found a warrior in Mohammed Siraj, a last-minute reinforcement to the squad after the injured Harshit Rana was ruled out.

Siraj’s turn with the white ball came in the game’s second part after India was seemingly caught off-guard in the opening act. The surface was not the flat track it was supposed to be. There was swing on offer and a few deliveries stopped and skidded a bit while a kinetic Indian top-order failed to recalibrate its bat swing.

The USA seamers bowled tight. Despite a few dropped catches, other chances were gobbled up in the deep and inner-circle, and India at one point had slid to 77 for six. Captains can stir a team wide awake and Suryakumar Yadav did precisely that.

His unbeaten 84 was a lesson in constructing an ideal T20 innings. He took his time, found his peace, and the 360-degree shots were employed gradually. It was the classic lull before the storm and eventually the scoops over fine-leg were finessed with precision.

Even as he tumbled often in the process, the USA attack struggled to adjust its radar, especially in the death. There were clean strikes down the ground too and India’s 161 for nine proved to be a combative score. Arshdeep Singh and Siraj combined well to unsettle the rival batters. While Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi battled hard, the USA was always playing catch-up against a dominant host.

In the days ahead, with games against Namibia, Pakistan (if the contest happens) and the Netherlands in the group stage, there could be challenges but the winning start in Mumbai should keep the Indian dugout in good spirits.