That cricket is a team sport is a truism. While flashes of individual brilliance can definitely blow away opponents on a particular day, it is balanced teams that endure.
HS16 is one such cricketing unit. Boasting unusual depth in all departments of the game, the two-time semifinalists are evidence to the fact that sustained contributions from multiple members of the team can make one a force to reckon with.
Arguably the best fielding unit in the fray, one can scarcely find any cases of butterfingers here. With Sai Chandan behind the wickets and two excellent catchers in Athul and Libin, opponent batsmen can hardly expect any reprieve. The quality of ground fielding is also very good, and that can make all the difference in closely-fought games.
On the batting front, HS16 has an enviable mix of stability and firepower. Sai Chandan and Libin, two classy top-order batsmen, can act as the anchor and guide their team through the length of the innings. This frees up explosive batsmen such as Susmit, Savio, Athul and Arvind to go in for the big shots. Simha in the middle-order is capable of playing more than a few eye-pleasing shots.
Allowing the top order (Sai Chandan, Athul and Libin) to settle in would be dangerous for opponent teams, so they must try to send them back as quickly as possible. Exposing the middle order early into the innings can put HS16 in a tricky spot.
Skipper Libin John is the spearhead of the bowling attack. His express pace, combined with accurate lines and lengths, makes it hard for batsmen to get away easily. On his day, he has quite the potential to cause lasting damage to batting line-ups. Irene is quite a capable bowler, and has repeatedly displayed an ability to dismiss the best of batsmen at very crucial situations. Athul, Susmit and Savio complete what is a good pack of bowlers. However, the absence of a genuine pacer apart from Libin might prove to be a potential weak link in the squad. How they deal with this might well decide how far they go into the tournament.
Player to watch out for:
Sangam is a stadium which heavily rewards big-hitting at the expense of strokeplay. One man who has been constantly bucking the trend over the years is opener Sai Chandan Kotu. One of the most complete batsmen in the tournament, Sai is equally adept on either side of the wicket. One can hardly see him muscling the ball; it is just timing and placement all the way. A deft flick here, a roll of the wrist there, and balls race away to the boundary. His lazy elegance and general demeanour on the field reminds one of a former Pakistani great.
Sai is the kind of batsman who can hold fort and allow batsmen around him the space to play their natural game. Him batting deep would be crucial to HS16’s chances, and his will be one of the prize wickets opponents will be gunning for.
Last year, HS16 were quite unfortunate to be drawn into the Group of Death (with two other very strong teams, HS14 and Scholars). This time, especially with a change of format, they look all set to improve upon that performance. A team with many varied strengths and few flaws, HS16 are genuine title contenders this tournament.
Article by Avinaash R.
Article 19 