Men’s ODI WC: India are putting a whole lot of energy; might just be overdoing it, says Ian Healy

Former Australian wicket-keeper Ian Healy expressed some concerns around India despite winning four straight matches in its 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup campaign and wondered if the Rohit Sharma-led side are just overdoing things by putting in a whole lot of energy early in the competition.

At the MCA Stadium in Pune on Thursday, India beat Bangladesh by seven wickets, thanks to an unbeaten Virat Kohli century, to continue their winning run after having beaten Australia, Afghanistan and Pakistan previously. But Healy is unsure if India are putting in too intensity and energy in early days of the tournament.

“They're not rolling easily, I've got a new fear for India. (Kohli’s) was a good knock, Rohit (Sharma) and Shubman Gill were good at the top too. But if you see the energy that's going into it (their wins), my fear is that they're going to have an emotional letdown. They're putting a whole lot of (energy into it), they might just be overdoing it.”

“The intensity, the gestures in the field when someone bowls a bad ball, the over-enthusiasm of good fielding efforts, all that sort of stuff. The crowd were going off at Pune, and it's a beautiful-looking ground. But I just worry for that (overdoing it), but gee they’ve got a great team,” said Healy on SEN Radio.

He went on to urge the hosts’ to hold back some of their energy till the later stages of the tournament arrive. Virat goes in and does a great piece of fielding at short cover and the crowd go off, the team go off and he's just done a good piece of fielding, stopping a little single.”

“I just worry in the next half a dozen games, to go where they're going, they need to go to another level. They won't be playing against Bangladesh and then they need all their intensity (later in the tournament). Don't waste it now.”

India’s next match of the tournament will be against New Zealand in what will be a clash of the only two unbeaten sides in the World Cup at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday.