"Muqabla 50 50 Hoga," Harbhajan Singh's analysis before India-Pak clash | Asia Cup 2023
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00:00 Pakistan will be at the ground of Sri Lanka on 2nd September.
00:04 We are continuing our discussion.
00:06 Babur vs Virat.
00:08 Because these were not players of the same era.
00:11 Virat started first, Babur came later.
00:13 Babur, you score 100 every day.
00:15 Virat also used to do it.
00:17 But even today, if I ask you
00:19 how do you see this Virat vs Babur debate?
00:23 And how is Babur as a captain, as a batsman,
00:27 for him, how are the next 2.5 months?
00:29 And the same question, how is Virat as a batsman for the next 2.5 months?
00:33 I think, if I talk about Virat Kohli, he has more edge right now.
00:37 That's because he is not the captain right now.
00:39 So I think, he can perform better.
00:43 Because you know, Sunil bhai is sitting there.
00:45 When he used to be the captain of the team,
00:47 and then he didn't perform,
00:49 or even if he used to perform,
00:51 there was a lot of pressure.
00:53 Sunil bhai scored 100 against Pakistan as a captain.
00:55 So in the next match, he has to score 200 runs.
00:58 So I think, I am not talking about his skill.
01:02 Because if we talk about skill,
01:04 both of them are top 3 batsmen.
01:06 Whether they take the Test Cricket, or the One Day,
01:08 or the T20.
01:10 We have been in this debate for a long time.
01:12 I think, Virat Kohli is the pride of India.
01:16 And if we talk about Pakistan,
01:18 Babur Azam is also our pride.
01:21 So I think, there is a little pressure on Babur Azam,
01:24 because of his captaincy,
01:26 and because of his home advantage.
01:28 Because, he is hosting the Asia Cup in Pakistan.
01:30 Although, he might not be able to play here.
01:32 But I think, Virat Kohli will be a little less pressure on him.
01:36 Vikrant, if I may,
01:38 I have a question related to this,
01:40 about Babur and Virat.
01:42 Because, obviously, this is a hot favorite topic of both the countries.
01:45 So Sunil ji, what would you say?
01:47 In today's history, when we talk about ODI rankings,
01:50 Babur is the number one player.
01:52 Pakistan has 3 batsmen in the top 5.
01:54 And their team performances,
01:56 Hashim Amla has broken the record,
01:58 of scoring more than 37 in less matches.
02:00 Every other month, they score 50.
02:02 So, in your opinion, when both the teams will enter the field on 2nd,
02:06 which country will be more likely to be justified,
02:11 to keep Babur or Virat's expectations?
02:14 What would you say, in this Babur vs Virat debate?
02:17 I would say,
02:19 that until the two players you are comparing,
02:21 are not playing for the same team,
02:23 there can be no comparison.
02:25 If both play for the same team,
02:27 and play against the opposition,
02:31 then there can be a comparison.
02:33 Then there can be a comparison,
02:35 that against the same attack,
02:37 against the same conditions,
02:39 how many wickets they have taken,
02:41 how many runs they have scored.
02:43 But when they play for different teams,
02:45 there can be no comparison.
02:47 I was just coming from Madanlal ji,
02:49 to talk about bowling.
02:51 What would you say about Shaheen Shah Faridi?
02:53 No, no, they are very good bowlers.
02:55 The three bowlers you have,
02:57 Naseem Shah,
02:59 Shaheen Shah Faridi,
03:01 and Shohaid Ruhi.
03:03 The combination of all three is very good.
03:06 Yonus bhai, maybe Pakistan has a balance.
03:10 Because you have played five out-and-out wicket-taking bowlers.
03:14 So, where do you get confidence?
03:16 Because Shahadaab bats,
03:18 because Nawaz bats,
03:20 Shaheen Shah Faridi,
03:22 Naseem Shah says that he will score 11 runs in the last over.
03:24 And I think this template,
03:26 is the kind of template where you,
03:28 like Australia,
03:30 think that we need out-and-out fast bowlers,
03:32 spinners, wicket-taking bowlers.
03:34 Do you think India is a little behind?
03:36 Because the tail,
03:38 tail is very long,
03:40 to compensate for that,
03:42 we do one thing,
03:44 at 8th over, either we feed Shardul,
03:46 or we feed Aksar,
03:48 or we feed Aksar Patel.
03:50 What will happen with that?
03:52 That Mohd. Shami, Siraj, and Bumrah,
03:54 all three can't play together.
03:56 If you are a Pakistani bowler,
03:58 how do you see this?
04:00 You are absolutely right.
04:02 See, at one point,
04:04 I always see that India,
04:06 Team India always compromises.
04:08 In the past,
04:10 there was only one or two bowlers less.
04:12 If I talk about Sachin,
04:14 then Raj,
04:16 then there would have been more.
04:18 So I think, Team India should understand
04:20 that if you have modern era cricket,
04:22 and especially when we are talking about
04:24 power plays,
04:26 then how much batting do you need?
04:28 I think they should decide this.
04:30 When India, Team India decides,
04:32 then the problem that sometimes
04:34 we see, sometimes even we played
04:36 against them,
04:38 the runs were 6s.
04:40 You are absolutely right,
04:42 Team India compromises.
04:44 Is this a problem of mindset?
04:46 Because to extend the batting order,
04:48 you have to compromise with
04:50 the wicket-taking bowler.
04:52 If you want to compromise
04:54 with the wicket-taking bowler,
04:56 then you can do it in T20.
04:58 But when you talk about 50 overs,
05:00 where any gainer can do 10 overs,
05:02 then 10 overs means,
05:04 sometimes in test matches,
05:06 you take 4-5 wickets in 12-13 overs.
05:08 And that is a problem.
05:10 So, I think,
05:12 you take 4-5 wickets,
05:14 and you can change the match.
05:16 You can bring impact on the match.
05:18 So, I think, if you want to compromise,
05:20 then you can do it in T20.
05:22 Because in T20, the bowler doesn't get
05:24 that many chances to take 5-4 wickets.
05:26 But, yes, it is necessary
05:28 that you have an all-rounder.
05:30 And if you look at the Indian team,
05:32 which has been successful
05:34 before this,
05:36 if you look at their team,
05:38 then you will see that
05:40 they had very good all-rounders.
05:42 If you look at the 1983 team,
05:44 the 1985 team,
05:46 you will see how many all-rounders were there.
05:48 As I said earlier as well,
05:50 your wishes are that India wins,
05:52 and our wishes are that Pakistan wins.
05:54 But if you as a cricketer,
05:56 can analyze this dispassionately,
05:58 keeping biases apart,
06:00 then don't you feel that,
06:02 let me put it this way,
06:04 unusually, Pakistan is the favorite,
06:06 the recent track record,
06:08 Pakistan has played a lot in Sri Lanka,
06:10 Bawar Azam's recent performances,
06:12 Pakistan's recent batting line performances,
06:14 Pakistan has won 5 out of 6 series,
06:16 India's recent performances,
06:18 you have done a lot of experiments,
06:20 you feel that, unusually, let's do it this way,
06:22 Pakistan is the favorite this time.
06:24 Look, in a 50-over match,
06:26 I will say that,
06:28 India's batting is very good,
06:30 and Pakistan's bowling is very good.
06:32 So, if
06:34 we don't have eyes,
06:36 it will be 50-50.
06:38 Earlier, in T20, we used to say that,
06:40 the Indian bowlers'
06:42 batting is heavy,
06:44 because with the new game,
06:46 there is a 2-3 over spell,
06:48 but in that, Shaheen has done his job
06:50 and has come out 2-3 times.
06:52 So, this time, I feel that,
06:54 it is an equal match.
06:56 It is Pakistan's bowling vs India's batting.
06:58 If they don't lose with the new game,
07:00 that the Indian bowlers,
07:02 I feel that, this match is going to be tough.
07:04 It is not that Pakistan doesn't have good bowling,
07:06 they also have good bowling,
07:08 in these conditions, they will play good cricket.
07:10 So, I can't say that,
07:12 India is the favorite or Pakistan is the favorite.
07:14 I feel that,
07:16 the match is equal.
07:18 The team that plays good cricket, will win.
07:20 And, this is also a fact,
07:22 that, looking at it,
07:24 it seems that, both teams
07:26 will have more confidence in chasing.
07:28 Because, both teams'
07:30 bowling backs their own bowling.
07:32 Although, Pakistan,
07:34 will look ahead of India,
07:36 in defending,
07:38 because, their fast bowlers are very good.
07:40 Here, Bhumrah is returning,
07:42 I hope that, he will catch his layup.
07:44 Chummy will catch his layup.
07:46 But, the match, Vikrant,
07:48 I feel that, it is 50-50.
07:50 It is not that India is ahead,
07:52 or Pakistan.
07:54 Okay, and if you allow me,
07:56 Vikrant, I want to say something.
07:58 Kamran sir and,
08:00 Tausi bhai,
08:02 if I ask you,
08:04 about the team combination,
08:06 in your opinion, in a 2-date match,
08:08 which players,
08:10 who are not available,
08:12 because, ultimately,
08:14 you have 11 players,
08:16 you cannot play all of them.
08:18 So, what would you say,
08:20 in a 2-date match,
08:22 between India and Pakistan?
08:24 Pakistan's team is settled,
08:26 they are playing well,
08:28 so, they should go with that combination.
08:30 India's team,
08:32 like Vikrant bhai has counted his spinners,
08:34 3 fast bowlers,
08:36 what is the name, one is all-rounder,
08:38 Harthik Pandey, will definitely play.
08:40 If he plays bowling, Pakistan will win 100%.
08:42 Really?
08:44 He will play with 3 batsmen.
08:46 He has to make 11, and also make batsmen.
08:48 He has to make them play.
08:50 So, we will have to see.
08:52 But, whatever it is,
08:54 no matter how experienced the player is,
08:56 after coming to India, he needs match practice.
08:58 Practice match has a different feeling,
09:00 a domestic match, an international match.
09:02 Like, if Bhumra has an issue.
09:04 Not Bhumra, whatever injury he has,
09:06 Bhumra has played T20,
09:08 played in winter,
09:10 now, he has a match in summer.
09:12 So, there will be a little test of India,
09:14 regarding injury, but, match practice
09:16 is very important.
09:18 And, now, I am seeing,
09:20 Vikrant bhai, what will he count bowling,
09:22 like, Uneswbhai has said,
09:24 he has to compromise.
09:26 Now, Indian team doesn't compromise.
09:28 Now, they have 5 specialist bowlers,
09:30 Chhatta, Harthik, Pandey.
09:32 So, they have complete bowling.
09:34 So, they don't go in this thing,
09:36 that they will give a shot.
09:38 They have depth,
09:40 they can do 50 overs,