Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) Former captain Sunil Gavaskar feels bowling will be a worry for India despite their remarkable victory over Australia in the World Cup quarter-finals Thursday.

According to Gavaskar, India still lack the ’sting’ in the pace department and it may bother them against Pakistan in the semi-final.

“Bowling is still a concern. Zaheer Khan is bowling well but there is still some sting missing in the second new-ball bowler,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying by ESPNStar.com.

“Munaf Patel is trying but he has just not been able to get any success. With Ravichandran Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh bowling the way they are and Yuvraj Singh picking up wickets, a bad spell or an off day for a regular bowler is camouflaged. But now with the rounds moving to the semi-finals and the final, India as a team cannot afford too many bad overs.”

The little master was all praise for the in-form Yuvraj and said it is time he is considered as a genuine all-rounder in the side.

“He deserves the tag of being India’s genuine all-rounder. He is picking up wickets and is back to his favourite backward-point fielding position. He is a rejuvenated cricketer.

“When India were in South Africa prior to the World Cup, he looked a little out of sorts. But he has come back strongly and whatever he did in that break before the World Cup, that seems to have worked wonders for him. He is now a serious contributor in this World Cup.”

Gavaskar said captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni made the right decision by picking Suresh Raina over Yusuf Pathan for the crunch game. It clicked as the left-handed batsman hit an unbeaten 34-run cameo while forging a match-winning stand of 74 with Yuvraj.

“His (Raina) inclusion for the Australia clash proved right. He is a finisher and we have seen Raina bat at five or six in the one-day games and he has gone on to finish the innings, be it batting first or chasing. He gives India the thrust and when the team needed to move on, Raina stepped up to the plate.

“When he came in to bat, and a wicket had fallen, then Australia would have clawed back into the game. Although Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan can bat, the pressure could have been just too much for them. So Raina played his part. Not to forget, his fielding too was crucial,” added Gavaskar.