The Indian cricket team advanced to the Super Eight stage of the ongoing tournament after defeating co-hosts USA by seven wickets in New York. They joined South Africa and Australia in the next round. Due to pre-determined seedings by the ICC, an India vs Australia clash on June 24th is confirmed, regardless of where the teams finish in their respective groups. The focus now shifts to the team's preparation and strategies as they gear up to face the formidable Australian side in this crucial encounter.
#TeamIndia #India #RohitSharma #ViratKohli #Suryakumaryadav #Cricket #T20Worldcup #Oneindia #Oneindianews
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#TeamIndia #India #RohitSharma #ViratKohli #Suryakumaryadav #Cricket #T20Worldcup #Oneindia #Oneindianews
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello, everyone. You are watching Pitch Battle. I am your host, Indranil.
00:08So, we managed to beat US, finally. Yes, there was a little bit of hiccup at the start of the chase.
00:15But we somehow managed. Thanks to Surya Kumar Yadav. Thanks to that drop catch.
00:18I don't know what would have happened if Surya would have gone back to the Pavilion with Shivam Dubey.
00:25And we had Jadeja. We had, of course, the Indian Vice-Captain, Hardik Pandya.
00:30Well, we didn't visit that chapter. So, let's not talk about that.
00:34But it looked a little difficult, the way Indian batters were put on the back foot.
00:39Especially Virat Kohli, coming in as an opener and struggling a little.
00:44But the good news is, his team is backing him to the hilt. He will continue to open the innings.
00:49There is no chance for Yashaswitch as well to come in as an opener, who is a regular opener.
00:54He would be feeling really happy deep down inside that Virat flopped.
00:57I don't know. We have seen it happening at all levels. Why would the international cricket be different?
01:04Joining today, we have, of course, Avinash. We have Sourav, we have Sankhya.
01:11I don't need to introduce my guests every day. They are coming every day.
01:15They have no other work other than coming here and talking about the game.
01:18We don't have any other work, right?
01:19Avinash, we don't have any other work.
01:24Yes, we eat, breathe and live cricket. So, yeah, that's basically what we do all day.
01:32Lucky, lucky, lucky. No shame. How do you see that match? US vs India.
01:45I thought we looked a little paranoid when we lost those early wickets.
01:51Early three wickets, very quickly, we lost.
01:54Exactly. There was a panic in the dressing room. If not in the dressing room, at least the fans were panicking.
02:03Because we have seen what has been happening there in New York, definitely.
02:08So, Indian team, they have a good batting lineup. But they are yet to prove and it was one of those games where the middle order actually rose to the occasion and performed.
02:19So, kudos to Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dubey for spending a lot of time.
02:26This inning, this performance will give them a word of confidence and also will boost their morale going forward into the Super 8 stages in the tournament.
02:38So, good sign for Shivam Dubey and Suryakumar Yadav because we saw them struggling against Pakistan and even in the Ireland match.
02:44So, overall, it was a good performance from the middle order. Virat Kohli, even Captain Rohit Sharma's mode of dismissal is more or less the same.
02:56He is dismissed in a similar fashion he was dismissed against Pakistan.
03:01So, somewhere, there is a chink in the armour of Rohit Sharma's batting as well which the opposition bowlers are looking to exploit.
03:10It will be interesting to see how he just manages it and just shortens this gap.
03:19Because if one opposition finds out there is a loophole in your batting, the others are also going to replicate it.
03:29And that's the beauty of international cricket in these days.
03:32Because your weaknesses and strengths are very easily picked up in a very short span of time because of the technology.
03:40So, Rohit also will have to be careful in the coming games as well.
03:47But Virat Kohli's form has been a concern.
03:51But let's not get a lot into it because he is a champion player and now that the pitch, the conditions, the venue is going to change, I think fortune for Virat Kohli is also going to change.
04:04Well, you seem to be a great Virat Kohli fan. I mean, I have no doubt about it.
04:11But talking about the fans who panic a little and there is always something which is reflected on the social media immediately after the match gets over.
04:19There is a panic button being pressed that, well, we are not going to go beyond the semi-final.
04:25All the people are talking about it.
04:27Shakya, your thoughts?
04:28I mean, it's early days, actually. You can't say what's in store for us.
04:34But your thoughts on how Indian batting is looking in front of you?
04:38Well, I am glad. I think they will be very happy because the New York leg is over.
04:45It wasn't, from the perspective of batting, the best outing that they had.
04:50Their bowlers had a good time. But they are through to the next round.
04:57When the draw was made, we would have felt it was a cakewalk.
05:00But as it's been shown in all the four groups in this World Cup, nothing is a cakewalk.
05:07England are on the verge of going out.
05:08Pakistan are dependent on other results.
05:11New Zealand are on the verge of going out.
05:15Sri Lanka are on the verge of going out.
05:18This tournament has not been a cakewalk for the bigger sides.
05:21So in that context, India on some difficult pitches have managed to do well.
05:27Ireland is not a bad side.
05:29Ireland has participated in many World Cups before this.
05:33USA in their first ever World Cup is more than a handful.
05:39And Pakistan, they are not doing very well in this tournament.
05:42But it's a quality side.
05:44So India will just be relieved to go through to the next round.
05:48But there, you only go to West Indies.
05:51Now, there, Australia, the match is confirmed.
05:56And it looks like New Zealand will not be going through.
05:59They lost their way to West Indies,
06:01which I think has put their qualification hopes in great peril.
06:06And then they might also have to face Bangladesh.
06:09So even there, I think in West Indies,
06:12they will have to get used to the pitches in the West Indies.
06:19I mean, semifinals should not be a problem.
06:22What happens after that?
06:23Because here, in this particular World Cup,
06:26as the host nation and their prowess in T20,
06:29West Indies are looking quite a handful.
06:32So we should not look at West Indies for what they have done in ODI cricket and T20 cricket.
06:37They are a different side altogether.
06:39So West Indies, who could be our opponents in the second finals or the finals,
06:45can be a real handful.
06:49All right, your volume is a little low.
06:51I hope you had your breakfast.
06:53Or is it with the phone volume, which is on the lower side?
06:57Whatever.
06:57But Swaruddy, you know, talking about a cricketer like Virat Kohli,
07:02we are seeing him struggling,
07:04getting out on two downs the way he got out.
07:09He is trying a lot.
07:10He is trying to score like he was doing in Chidna Swamy.
07:13I just get that feeling.
07:14And if you look, all the top backers are struggling
07:17because of the swimming condition in the West Indies.
07:20It is also because there also, spinners will come to the party.
07:25But looking at Virat Kohli, the mode of his cricket,
07:28that's not his cricket, actually.
07:30He has done things when he was playing in Afghanistan,
07:32trying to force himself to play strokes.
07:37You know, you can take a horse to the water, but I am making drinks.
07:42So, Virat Kohli has got a typical style of batting.
07:46And he is defying that style and trying to do something which he is not.
07:50Your thoughts, Swaruddy?
07:53Yeah, I think definitely there is something that's been going on with Virat Kohli.
07:56I don't know whether it's opening the batting,
07:59is, you know, putting him under pressure to score more runs.
08:01And that's why he's changing his approach.
08:03Because someone with the calibre of Virat Kohli,
08:06he is supposed to assess the conditions perfectly and play according to that.
08:10But we haven't seen that.
08:11I think against USA, I think it was a great delivery from Saurabh Netravalkar.
08:16So, we have to give him credit for bowling that jaffa to get him out.
08:20But against Pakistan and against Ireland,
08:22we saw him playing, you know, out of, you know, sorts cricket and getting out.
08:25But I don't want to go too much into it.
08:27Because I think on the hindsight,
08:29it gave the opportunity to the likes of Surya Kumar Yadav and Shivam Dubey
08:33to show their mettle in adverse conditions.
08:35Because it was not an easy pitch.
08:37And the way it all played, it was a miss.
08:39It was a drop catch for Surya.
08:42But they put up a good partnership and they took India home.
08:44So, I think Virat Kohli's off-form has been a blessing in disguise
08:50for these middle-order batters.
08:51And hopefully, they can now capitalise.
08:54I am sure for a player such as Virat Kohli,
08:57his form is very temporary and class is permanent.
09:00So, I am really certain that he is going to come back to his old self very soon.
09:05And as India now has progressed,
09:08they have seen their progression to the next stage.
09:09I think we are going to see the real Virat Kohli in West Indies.
09:15Well, everyone seems to be quite hopeful about Virat Kohli's form.
09:20That he will strike form eventually.
09:22Because he knows how to score runs.
09:25He has been doing it for so many years, after all.
09:27But, Avinash, I mean, looking at Virat Kohli, the way he is batting,
09:33what Yashasvi Jaiswal would be feeling inside?
09:37Your thoughts?
09:38See, every player who is a part of the Indian cricket team
09:45would definitely want to be on the pitch.
09:47Do what he is being known for.
09:51So, there is no doubt about that Yashasvi Jaiswal would be feeling itchy,
09:56sitting in the dressing room,
09:59not finding his name in the team sheet,
10:02in the playing XI.
10:03So, definitely, like any other human being,
10:07he would also be hoping that he gets a chance.
10:10And Virat Kohli, not playing the way he plays,
10:14or living up to the expectation,
10:15also ignites a fire in your belly that,
10:21okay, there could be a day where I get to play.
10:25Maybe in the next game, if that match against Canada happens,
10:31because there is a rain forecast,
10:33and Miami is going through a lot of rain.
10:35So, all the upcoming three matches in Miami might be washed out.
10:39But if the rain gods are kind enough,
10:43and we do get to see a match,
10:44then definitely Team India should look to give at least a chance to Yashasvi Jaiswal.
10:51Maybe Rishabh Pant can come in at number four,
10:54or Virat can come in at number four,
10:56Surya could be rested,
10:57or whatever combination and combinations the team management would like to make.
11:02And a batter like Yashasvi Jaiswal should get a chance to at least play a game,
11:10so that he is match ready.
11:11If, God forbid, something happens in the next stage,
11:15in the Super 8 stage,
11:16some injury happens,
11:18and you require Yashasvi Jaiswal to come into the side and play,
11:25zero experience, no experience of a match will definitely harm him,
11:31because he is making his debut in the T20 World Cup for the first time.
11:34So, there will be nerves.
11:36And if those nerves are settled before the big matches happen,
11:39then definitely he will feel at home.
11:44True. I remember, Avinash,
11:48during the Afghanistan series at the start of the season,
11:52I mean, at the start of 2024,
11:55there was a game which went to the Super Rovers,
11:57and Yashasvi had to score two runs on one delivery.
12:00He couldn't do that.
12:00He was quite upset.
12:02Because when you are into any pressure situation,
12:06it's not easy, actually.
12:07Sitting back here, we can comment a lot.
12:10He should have done that.
12:11He shouldn't be doing that.
12:13Passing on judgement so easily.
12:15But when you go out there,
12:17it's actually very tough to execute those skills
12:20and those plans to them,
12:23those game plans,
12:24those dictum, whatever you call it.
12:28So, Yashasvi is yet to mature.
12:30Because what we see when we see a kid,
12:33we say, okay, let him score some runs.
12:35Let him…
12:36I mean, he should make India win.
12:39You know, what we call it,
12:40it takes time for mangoes to ripen.
12:42You know, it's just…
12:43Absolutely.
12:44We rush into things so easily.
12:46Yeah.
12:47Yeah. And if this rush has happened,
12:50then there was something happening
12:52and things should have been taken into consideration
12:56whether or not Yashasvi Jaspal is mature enough
12:59to handle that big-match pressure or not.
13:02But I think the way selectors picked up the team,
13:06it showed that Yashasvi is more than capable
13:11than Shubman Gill,
13:13at least in this particular format.
13:15And that is why we saw him getting a precedence
13:18over someone like Shubman Gill
13:20who's already played quite a lot of cricket
13:23in the white ball as well as in the red ball format.
13:26If he hasn't done that,
13:27then definitely there's a thought process behind it.
13:31And now it was the time
13:33and it is a time to back him.
13:35Otherwise, there's no point in taking a player
13:39and never backing him.
13:41So,
13:42the player's growth will never happen.
13:45Maturity will only come
13:46when that player actually ends up playing,
13:48gets the match practices.
13:50And we've seen it happening to a lot of cricketers,
13:54promising cricketers in Indian cricket.
13:56They didn't get a chance.
14:00True. True.
14:02When we talk about Virat Kohli,
14:03we've been criticising him.
14:05Not criticising him,
14:06discussing him at length
14:08what he should be doing.
14:09He's getting too much in that stroke-making mode.
14:13Shakya, I want to know your thoughts on Rohit Sharma.
14:15He's also not looking in great touch.
14:17He was not in great touch during IPL also.
14:20He was playing in bits and pieces here and there,
14:23trying to score runs.
14:24But he's not been consistent.
14:25That's why he lost his T20 captaincy
14:27with the Mumbai Indians.
14:29So, how do you see Rohit Sharma?
14:32He's very cool about it.
14:33If he gets out,
14:34he just makes a face
14:35and then goes back to the pavilion,
14:37to the dugout.
14:38Takes the most important seat in that dugout
14:41and sit back and enjoy the match.
14:44And we've seen him getting out for a duck
14:45and scoring 100 against Afghanistan earlier this year.
14:49And that knock was beautiful, actually.
14:51So, he had two ducks, in fact,
14:53if I'm not mistaken.
14:54Three match series.
14:55So, Rohit is a talking point.
14:58No one's seen him in India.
15:01Unfortunately, India don't do well.
15:05Very often, we've seen him.
15:06We used to blame him in Test cricket.
15:08Pujara.
15:10You know, Virat Kohli.
15:11And Virat Kohli is the best bashing this thing.
15:14We bash him all the time
15:15whenever things go wrong.
15:16Why not Rohit Sharma?
15:17And you're a Rohit Sharma fan.
15:19Please enlighten us.
15:22No, Rohit Sharma got a lot of criticism
15:25for the 2022 World Cup.
15:27I don't entirely agree with it.
15:30But, you know, there is an issue
15:35with left-arm pace that Rohit Sharma has.
15:37And it's been happening for a while.
15:40In this tournament also.
15:41I mean, it was Shaheen Afridi.
15:42Yesterday, it was Sourav Netravalkar.
15:46But they've done their homework on the pitches.
15:50I assume the team management
15:53and the selectors have done their homework
15:55on the pitches.
15:55So, if Rohit and Virat had not come to this tournament,
15:59then who would have come?
16:00So, I mean, I remember while the IPL was going on
16:04and Abhishek Sharma was playing brilliantly in the IPL.
16:07They were saying, Abhishek Sharma.
16:09Why is Abhishek Sharma not being considered for the IPL?
16:11But how can you?
16:12Abhishek Sharma has not had the experience.
16:15You need to give someone that amount of game time
16:19before considering them for the team.
16:21So, I think for their experience,
16:24Rohit and Virat were the best selections.
16:26I would not look into the New York pitch.
16:30I think once you go outside New York,
16:33once you go to the West Indies,
16:34that's where the real challenge will come.
16:36And how you perform there will be a big factor.
16:41But again, Rohit,
16:44if New Zealand doesn't qualify for the Super 8s,
16:48then maybe they'll have their concerns
16:50because Bangladesh has a top left-armer
16:53in Mustafizur Rahman.
16:54And Afghanistan has Fazalak Faruqi
16:57who did brilliantly against New Zealand the other day.
17:00And they are exactly the kind of bowlers
17:02whom Rohit has tended to struggle with in the past.
17:07But Rohit has done well.
17:10Rohit has done well throughout his career.
17:11And I'm sure he understands this weakness
17:14against left-arm pace as well as anyone.
17:18We are sitting here inside.
17:21So, we can say it.
17:22But Rohit Faruqi is the one who needs it.
17:25He probably knows that there is an issue.
17:29And he'll be working out on it.
17:32But if Rohit doesn't get going in the first six overs,
17:36maybe on these conditions,
17:38you probably need an anchor.
17:40We've had this conversation
17:41that there is no need for an anchor in T20 cricket.
17:44But in these conditions,
17:45160-170 might be a winning score
17:48once you go to the West Indies.
17:49Like today's match between West Indies and New Zealand Prove.
17:53Maybe you need an anchor.
17:56Not only you.
17:57You are an anchor.
17:58But we need a batting anchor.
18:04But apart from that,
18:06I feel the tables have turned.
18:07The tables have also turned in this tournament.
18:10We used to say that
18:12why does India not create pitches
18:15which are Seema-friendly,
18:17which they have been doing.
18:18Now, we have gone outside India
18:20and these are pitches which seem to be
18:24more like subcontinental pitches.
18:27So, other teams are struggling on these pitches.
18:33Well, you talked about a very important thing
18:36which is Rohit Sharma struggling in his left-arm Seemas.
18:39And I think, for all those viewers
18:43listening to the broadcast,
18:45you should know that Rohit,
18:46actually, his head falls a lot
18:48when his head falls on the off-stump
18:50when he is facing the left-armers.
18:52There is a little bit of technical side
18:54of it which goes wrong.
18:56And head is, of course,
18:57the heaviest portion of the body.
18:58And absolutely, he gets it on his thigh pad,
19:03on his leg guard.
19:04He has been struggling.
19:05He cannot show the full face of the bat.
19:09Rohit is facing the left-hander.
19:11But, you know, going forward,
19:14this kind of struggle is going to continue.
19:16Sourav Dev, you know,
19:16we talk about anchor role and all that
19:19which is important.
19:20And we think, I think, personally,
19:22one of them, looking at the conditions,
19:24one of either Rohit or Virat Kohli
19:26would have to stay till the end
19:29to ensure there is no hiccup
19:30like it happened against the US.
19:32Do you think it's the perfect way
19:35to sort of analyse that Indian team
19:40needs an anchor
19:41and one of the seniors would have to stay
19:44for a good, you know, 15th or 20th
19:48till 20th over you,
19:49which is not possible all the time?
19:50Do you think that's the need of the hour,
19:52looking at the pitch conditions?
19:55Absolutely.
19:56Because given the plethora of experience
19:58that these two persons have,
20:00I think they will have to play
20:02a bit more matured role.
20:04And this is not an IPL pitch
20:05because IPL has made us, you know,
20:08believe that we can score 200-250
20:11every day and we can play the bashing cricket.
20:13But this has shown that
20:15when the pitch conditions are a bit tougher,
20:17a bit different,
20:18you have to play accordingly.
20:20I think Rohit and Virat are the best players
20:22to play that role
20:23because they are the class players.
20:25They do have the quality
20:27to, you know, execute that plan
20:29and take India to a better total.
20:31But there are other players as well.
20:33Suryakumar Yadav, if you say,
20:35for Rishabh Pant.
20:36I don't think they will be suited
20:38to that role that much.
20:40That is something to play
20:41like a 30-ball-40, 30-ball-45
20:43and then latch on in the final over.
20:46So, Rohit and Virat Kohli,
20:47especially I do believe Virat Kohli more
20:50is perfect for the anchor role.
20:51And that is why I do believe
20:53that Virat Kohli coming in
20:55at number three
20:56can be really beneficial for the Indian team
20:58because that will give him an opportunity
21:01to play that role
21:02and own that responsibility in the middle.
21:08But Shraddhi, we have already tried
21:10Mr. Rishabh Pant in that position.
21:12So, again, pushing him down the order.
21:15So, would you recommend Rishabh
21:16to open with Rohit Sharma,
21:17left-right combo
21:18and Virat could come one down?
21:20How is that?
21:22Yeah, I don't think that is going to happen
21:24because I don't know
21:25whether Rishabh Pant has opened
21:27again ever in international
21:30or at any level of cricket.
21:32So, that is something…
21:35He has opened with Ishan Kishan,
21:36I remember, in 20 matches for India.
21:39Then we can definitely try for it, right?
21:42Try for it.
21:42Because Rishabh Pant is someone
21:44who is going to play his shots.
21:46So, he will be the most effective
21:48in the Prawal play-over.
21:49So, he can capitalize
21:50and give India a good start.
21:51So, why not?
21:52And Virat Kohli, I still believe it.
21:54From the first day,
21:54he is best at number three.
21:56Because the team's best batter
21:58has to bat at number three.
21:59We have been…
22:00We have told it since we were kids
22:04that Rahul Ravindra was the best batter
22:05of the Indian team
22:06and he used to bat at number three
22:07at any format, I believe.
22:09Whether it's Test, ODI or T20,
22:11your best batter has to bat at number three.
22:13So, I believe Virat Kohli
22:15batting at number three
22:16will be the perfect thing for Indian team.
22:18But again, as I said,
22:20it needs to be seen
22:21whether the team management
22:22will be looking forward
22:23to change at this very moment.
22:25Because as we have been seeing
22:27that many talks were going on
22:29regarding SSB Jaiswal batting,
22:31being a left-hand-right-hand combination
22:33and Virat Kohli batting at number three.
22:34But we haven't seen that.
22:36The team management has trusted
22:37Virat Kohli to open the innings.
22:39And they may keep on trusting him
22:42to do that role.
22:44All right. All right.
22:47Very, very, very well explained.
22:48Avinash, your thoughts on that.
22:50I want to capture your thoughts.
22:51What do you think?
22:52Rishabh has an opener with Rohit Sharma.
22:54How will it look?
22:55It's actually quite…
22:56No, no. Anyway, he is coming into bat
22:59as an opener.
23:00I mean, if Virat gets out
23:02or Rohit gets out
23:03in the first couple of overs.
23:04So, actually, he is, in a way,
23:06batting as an opener.
23:07He is doing the job of an opener.
23:08Seeing the ball.
23:11Making… Batting through phases.
23:14Different phases.
23:15And constructing his innings
23:17depending on the conditions.
23:19Yes, it could be a better option
23:22for Team India to go with
23:23a right-hand-left-hand combination.
23:24And Rishabh Pant can actually do.
23:27He is such a talented player.
23:29He is such a mentally strong player
23:31that he can definitely pick that role
23:34of an opener as well.
23:37Given team management considers him
23:39for that job.
23:41And with Virat, I mean,
23:43now it's pretty clear that, yes,
23:45it will be better for him
23:46to just come down at number 1
23:51and bat at number 3
23:52because that's where he looks more settled.
23:55His nerves are settled.
23:57Yes, we've seen him doing so well
23:59in the IPL.
24:00Scored 700-plus runs.
24:02Opening the innings for
24:04Royal Challengers Bangalore.
24:05But let's not forget,
24:06this is an international cricket.
24:08And there's a lot of difference
24:11in IPL and international cricket.
24:13The pressure could be the same.
24:16The level of competition…
24:19The entire IPL,
24:22if you look at the entire competition,
24:25the level of your opposition,
24:26it is also actually as good
24:28as an international game.
24:31But you don't get that many chances
24:35in a tournament like T20 World Cup.
24:38In IPL, you definitely will have
24:40another match.
24:4114 matches you play
24:43and you always have an opportunity
24:45to make a comeback.
24:47But here, when you are playing
24:49in a T20 World Cup,
24:51every match is going to be crucial.
24:53Now that there's a Super 8 stage
24:54and the kind of opposition
24:56that India is going to be pitted against
24:58in the next stage,
25:00every match is going to be very crucial.
25:02And a lot will ride on
25:05Virat Kohli's shoulders
25:06and the way he performs.
25:08Because A, he's your most prolific batter.
25:11He's your leading run scorer
25:13in the format.
25:16And even the opponents
25:18are wary of a batter
25:20of Virat Kohli's caliber.
25:21But they also have their game plan set
25:24and they will be preparing
25:25to execute those game plans
25:28to perfection against Virat Kohli
25:30and Rohit Sharma
25:30if they are struggling the way they are.
25:34No, really.
25:34I mean, I really appreciate
25:36you made this point about
25:38how Rishabh is already an opener
25:39because one of them would get out early
25:42and Pant would walk in.
25:44But, you know,
25:46when I look at Virat Kohli,
25:48if you sort of drop him one down
25:51to one down position,
25:52I think you are admitting to the fact
25:55that he's not worked as an opener for India.
25:58Yes. And that is going to backfire.
26:00He won't like it.
26:02He won't like it.
26:03And there's a very popular
26:06the proverb,
26:07who will bell the cat?
26:08It's quite evident.
26:10And the elephant in the room
26:11cannot be addressed.
26:13So, he is the elephant in the room.
26:15And nobody would even dare
26:18utter something to Virat Kohli
26:20because the kind of stature that he has,
26:22not just in the Indian cricket,
26:23in the international cricket
26:26on a whole, if you look at him.
26:28So, that is also a big concern.
26:34True. It's so true.
26:35I mean, I remember
26:37there were days when Indian captains
26:38who were like,
26:39and there was a stalwart in the dressing room
26:41and the opener got injured
26:43and no one, that captain didn't have guts
26:46to go and tell that stalwart,
26:48please, sir, go and open.
26:49We don't have an opener.
26:51And he used to bat,
26:52I mean, I'm giving you enough clues.
26:54He used to bat at No. 4.
26:55But coming back to our
26:56current ongoing World Cup,
26:59you know, I mean,
27:00they actually move around like
27:02big players inside dressing room.
27:04People have gone there.
27:04They have narrated stories to us.
27:06And Avinash, all of us would be,
27:08Sourav D would be all aware of it.
27:10But Shakya, when I was making
27:13team for the first match
27:15against Ireland, I remember,
27:17I had Kuldeep Yadav
27:18and there was no Ashutosh Singh.
27:20Ashutosh Singh, you sort of barged in
27:23and said Ashutosh Singh should be there.
27:25And he, in fact, played that opening game.
27:29And yesterday, he took those wickets
27:30at No. 4 wicket hall.
27:32It was brilliant.
27:33And he's really showing a lot of…
27:35And he's using the conditions well,
27:37which is why I'm very happy to see
27:39that we have a four-man pace attack.
27:42Probably, it won't sort of suffice
27:44when you're playing in the West Indies,
27:45where the pitch is going to
27:47assess the spinners a lot.
27:48But your thoughts on Ashutosh Singh,
27:50the way he's progressing right now?
27:53No, Ashutosh Singh has been very consistent
27:55over the last couple of years,
27:58since he broke into the Indian side.
28:00And I'm not surprised.
28:01I'm not surprised.
28:02But what's happened in New York
28:04is not something that…
28:06I think the New York leg is over.
28:08India is safely qualified.
28:10There's one more match in Florida
28:12to be played.
28:12But I think the real business starts
28:15from the Super 10.
28:16And I think that's where it would…
28:20Malshree will be fine in the West Indies.
28:26But again, this T20 World Cup,
28:28it's how you play on one particular day.
28:32I mean, this could be the semi-final.
28:34This could be the final.
28:35This could be the last league match
28:36before qualification for the knockouts.
28:39It's how you play on that one day.
28:43There could be that one day
28:44when everything can go wrong.
28:46And I'm keeping my fingers crossed
28:49this won't happen with the Indian side.
28:52But you never know.
28:54I mean, so far,
28:57some big sides have made up the first round.
29:00And if England doesn't go through
29:03to the next round,
29:04if Pakistan doesn't go through
29:05to the next round,
29:06and New Zealand,
29:07three big teams may not go through
29:10to the next round,
29:10which kind of makes the tournament more open.
29:14And that's good news
29:15for a lot of other sides as well.
29:17But then, we could be facing Afghanistan
29:21in the Super 8s.
29:23And Afghanistan, for me,
29:24are one of my dark horses of this World Cup.
29:28They could spring a surprise.
29:29And I won't be surprised about Afghanistan.
29:34Because 2020, I think,
29:36a team like Afghanistan
29:37is an even more dangerous side.
29:39But yeah, Arshdeep has been…
29:43Has done well.
29:44I expected it from him.
29:45He's the one left-armer we have.
29:47Left-arm pace is a valuable commodity
29:49in T20 cricket.
29:52And the last time we had
29:54a quality left-arm pacer was Zaheer Khan.
29:57We've not really had…
29:58One was being consistently…
30:00Don't compare him with Zaheer Khan, please.
30:03He's fairly young.
30:05Let him prove his worth.
30:06I mean, he's not played test cricket also.
30:07Zaheer was an all-round bowler.
30:09He played all formats.
30:11What a champion.
30:12What a champion player.
30:14My God.
30:15We have Ashish Mehra.
30:16Ashish Mehra played a bit of test cricket in the 2010s.
30:21No, I'm just saying.
30:22I'm just saying.
30:23The point I'm trying to make, Indrani,
30:25is that when we won a World Cup in 2011,
30:29Zaheer Khan's contribution
30:31and left-arm pacer was so crucial.
30:34Yeah, I know.
30:35You're sounding so much like Gautam Pandey.
30:38It's a valuable commodity to have.
30:41No, no.
30:42Thanks a lot, Kathu.
30:43But I know, before we run with the show,
30:46Sauradeep, your thoughts?
30:48Because every time there is an ICC event,
30:50New Zealand is always up there in the top four.
30:53This time, it looks a little difficult.
30:55Why do you think this thing happened to them?
30:59I think there is a lot of things that comes out to New Zealand's underperformance.
31:04I think the players that they have had,
31:06I think they don't have played a lot together
31:09in the last 12 months,
31:10also with the contract situations
31:12and all those things that's been going on,
31:14New Zealand cricket,
31:14that hasn't been the perfect environment
31:18for them to come into this World Cup
31:19and perform as a team.
31:20And also, I do believe they're a bit unlucky as well
31:23because you don't expect to be beaten
31:26at the hands of Afghanistan and get 75 all out.
31:28I think it's been two bad days for New Zealand cricket
31:31in this G20 World Cup,
31:32and which has cost them big time
31:35because they have some great players.
31:36If you see the likes of Trent Boult,
31:38Lockie Ferguson,
31:39all these players have played IPL
31:40and have done well for their respective franchises.
31:42So, there is no such particular cause
31:45that you can find,
31:46at least I can find,
31:48for their downfall.
31:48It's a bit surprising to me
31:50because every time a team like New Zealand,
31:52you expect them to do well,
31:53they may not win the tournament necessarily,
31:56but they're supposed to go to at least
31:58till the Super 8s or the semi-finals
32:00or even the final.
32:01We have seen them making it to the finals
32:03in the last two or three occasions in the G20
32:05and ODI World Cup as well.
32:07So, this is a surprise
32:08and it's a sad thing.
32:09I think their tournament is all but over
32:12because I think Afghanistan
32:14are going to really get a victory out of…
32:16I think they're going to play Papua New Guinea
32:19or Uganda.
32:19I think they're playing Uganda.
32:20They play Uganda, I think,
32:22in one of their matches
32:23and it will be a cakewalk for them.
32:25So, I believe it's all but over for New Zealand
32:28and it's a disappointing thing.
32:30I can't really point out any particular reason.
32:32I can't really find any particular reason.
32:34I think they're batting poorly.
32:36That's something that we can say.
32:38The batters, the way they have played,
32:40the way they have applied the likes of
32:42Daryl Mitchell or Glenn Phillips,
32:44you expect them to step up.
32:46Rachid Ravindra, if we can say as well,
32:48the way he played in the World Cup 2023,
32:50we all thought that he's going to be a star,
32:52but it didn't pan out.
32:53That for him in CSK as well.
32:56He started well and then he got
32:58eventually dropped from the side.
33:00So, I think that is something
33:01that has been all mixed
33:03and something that has happened there,
33:05which has collectively caused
33:07their demise in this tournament.
33:11Which is kind of sad.
33:12But you know, there is good,
33:13there is bad and there is ugly.
33:15So, but how do you look after yourself
33:18during bad days will ensure your good days.
33:20And that's what each battle is all about.
33:23You go out there with your chin up
33:25and face the music no matter what happens.
33:28Avinash, Sauradeep, Shakya,
33:30thanks a lot for coming
33:31and throwing light on different things
33:35which are happening around
33:36our Indian cricket team on pitch battle.
33:39It's been quite a journey,
33:40you know, talking to you guys every day.
33:42I really enjoy interacting
33:45and hope I'll continue doing this
33:48for as long as I, I mean,
33:49as long as Avinash wants me to.
33:51He's the boss.
33:54Thanks a lot, guys,
33:55for coming and sharing your thoughts, really.
33:58And let's keep enjoying the T20 World Cup.
34:02Take care and be good.
34:03Thank you.