World Cup 2015: Matthew Hayden speaks on India's unexpected resurgence

Four matches, four wins. How do you look at India's chances, especially after the manner in which they have turned things around following a fruitless tour?
Actually, it's amazing, isn't it? It's quite an achievement by MS Dhoni and his players. I think it's got to do with the presence of a lot of calm heads in that dressing room, especially with the media going very hard at their position. Well, you can't keep losing games of cricket, like they did for two-and-a-half months. But now, they have won four in a row. I am still not convinced about India's bowling attack. They have bowled admirably, but as this tournament wears on, and when the pressure is really on, that's where they are going to be tested. This tournament has been drifting on for a month and there hasn't been too much quality cricket on display. Last week, the Australia-New Zealand game wasn't great cricket. Last night (Friday), India got the job done but they were shaky against the West Indies.

India have bowled out the opposition in each of their four games. Do you still believe bowling is their weak link?
Less than three weeks ago, I would have said yes. But I also think that credit is due when it's due. I thought India would have to set a total like 380. Such is their batting strength. But it seems like the longer they have been playing here, the more they have become accustomed to our wickets. Yes, they will have to make some adjustments now in New Zealand, but they have already qualified (for the quarters), so they can relax. Actually, their bowling is now in a position where it's starting to hit their straps. We have to now see how they fare against better batting line-ups under pressure.

The batsmen didn't have it easy at the WACA on Friday…
Look, I have been part of so many run chases. And I can tell you 180 is a difficult total. What do you do? Do you go hard at the bowlers? Do you change your plans? When you change your game, you get vulnerable. But I also think the big, tall West Indies boys bowled with some good pace. That's why the usual suspects like Shikhar Dhawan struggled. Virat Kohli, even though they bowled straight at him yesterday (Friday), when you get the ball into that uncertain zone some six stumps outside off stump, he still chases those. But he got away with it last night. The vulnerability is still there. Rohit Sharma consistently gets out to balls bowled outside the off stump. He has to find a balance between trying to play the ball and leave the ball. And we also saw Suresh Raina get exposed with the short ball again. I have played with him for so many years. He is such a good player, such a talented player, but he continues to struggle against the short stuff. The West Indies exploited that. And I don't think they are a disciplined bowling unit. But they have got talent.

After the game, the skipper spoke of Ravindra Jadeja's problems with the short ball. Even Suresh Raina didn't look comfortable…
That's true what MS said. I like Raina and I want to see him do well. I think everyone knows that. There is a natural bias there (because of Chennai Super Kings connection). But he has to find a way (to sort out his technical problems). He has to use his talent and use his head to play a role where he can maximise his returns against slower medium pace bowlers. And he has to weather the storm, like we all have to, when it comes to short-pitched bowling. He gets into a rabbit-caught-in-the-headlights scenario sometimes. But he shouldn't. He just needs to relax and he needs to get going by playing his natural game.

He is an experienced player. Do you think the problem is with his mindset?
The right thing about this side is MS Dhoni's persistence. Had a lot of these players been playing for Australia, for example, they would have gone. Look at Shane Watson. He is an extremely talented cricketer. He has gone out of the side. I don't think we would nurse players for so long. I think we must give credit to MS for making his boys feel comfortable. He backs them all the way through. So they have got to reward him with good performances. Again, there has got to be a point where you say 'OK, here's what you have to do. Here's what your level of achievement is.' And as the games get bigger, the mistakes aren't going to get covered up. The competition is going to get better. The focus of the sides will get better. Their plans and the delivery of those plans are going to get more potent. So, everyone sort of steps up.

India take on Ireland and Zimbabwe in New Zealand. Is this the time to experiment by bringing in, say, an Axar Patel or Stuart Binny?
Well, I don't think so. I believe Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin are the players to go with. However, they have got to get better as the tournament progresses. The batting line-up has got to fire. But the good things is India know what they have got to do. This is the side India have got to settle on. Do I see Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming back unless there is an injury concern? No, I don't think so. All India need are some little tweaks in their game plans. To me, their personnel remain the same. Look, India have been here for a very long time. They know what they have to do. I know I am going a little hard at them. But that's because I know they can play better. They are looking pretty good, but they have got it in them to go further.

Look at Dhawan. His consistency in the latter stage of the tournament is going to be so very important for the side. If he doesn't fire, then all of a sudden, the other guys will be under pressure. He is to India what David Warner is to the Australian team. He has got to find that combination of being able to back off (deliveries bowled) outside that off stump and choose the right balls to play his shots. He has got to find a way to occupy the crease. That's something he is capable of doing on his own terms.

A lot of sides, and India are no different, can't think of getting 360 all the time. It's already got Australia into a lot of trouble. In that match against New Zealand, their expectations could have been 240-250, a more traditional kind of score. Too many batsmen are just looking to blaze away. I mean Chris Gayle played the most ridiculous innings I have ever seen. He got dropped three times on his way to 20-odd. He is a match-winner and he is just falling in love with the boundaries and sixes and is going for nothing else. That's not smart cricket. And India will have to play a lot of it to win the World Cup.

What are the Indians susceptible to?
They are susceptible to their own shot selection outside off stump. Look at Kohli, for example. If I see one more bowler bowl on his legs, I think I am going to go nuts. He is brilliant off his legs. He has got a strike-rate of 277 off his legs. So what do I see time and time again? The bowlers give it to him on his legs. These guys get paid millions of dollars. If they can't bowl a ball six stumps outside off stump, and can't do it six times in a row, I'll go jump off a cliff. It's not that hard. Now, Australia are going to do that. India must use the next two games to work on their vulnerability. So just play within your plans.

Dhoni has finally come good with the bat…
He is an individual who is also a smart cricketer. And last (Friday) night was good example of that. MS knows how to win a game. His percentage wins while batting second, especially at the back-end of the match, is just phenomenal. I know there will be a time when MS is really tested. And I know he will come out on top because he has that winning habit of chasing down runs.

Kohli is as aggressive as they come…
If I were Virat Kohli — and in a lot of ways I was — I'd say to him that aggression is great. I want to see that battle. I want to see that every day of the week. Long may that continue. All he has to be in control of is that ball bowled six stumps outside off and whether he is going to leave that alone or not. The rest is going to take care of itself. I like Virat because of his technique and the way he plays his game. It is what it is. It's brilliant. It's just the way he plays. I like it. It suits him. It helps the team.

You are great mates with Ravi Shastri. How much of an impact has he had on this team?
A lot. Ravi is a great asset because not only does he know cricket, he knows media. And in international cricket, you do battle the media as much as you battle with the other teams. So he will understand what is required. And he will put a cricket spin on it. He has a great cricket head and he is a great strategist.

And a great man manager…
Yes, he is a straight shooter. And that's good. After the West Indies game, he would have said, 'Fellows, really? The target was 180. This is not acceptable. We have got to work out a way (to keep things straight and simple)'.

The WACA may not host big-ticket cricket after 2018. You had scored a world record 380 here…
To me, it's a huge shame. The WACA has got great history and tradition. It's a unique venue, but you know there have got to bigger discussions on the financial aspect. I have great memories of the ground.

HAYDEN GYAN

On Virat Kohli: Even though they (West Indies bowlers) bowled straight at him, when you get the ball into that uncertain zone some six stumps outside off stump, he still chases those. But he got away with it last night

On Shikhar Dhawan: He has got to find that combination of being able to back off (deliveries bowled) outside that off stump and choose the right balls to play his shots. He has got to find a way to occupy the crease

On Rohit Sharma: He consistently gets out to balls bowled outside the off stump. He has to find a balance between trying to play the ball and leave the ball

On Suresh Raina: We saw Suresh Raina get exposed with the short ball again. I have played with him for so many years. He is such a good player, such a talented player, but he continues to struggle against the short stuff

On bowlers: I am still not convinced about India's bowling attack. They have bowled admirably, but as this tournament wears on, and when the pressure is really on, that's where they are going to be tested