Today's Edition
Kuumar Shyam (Dubai)
India take on New Zealand in a dead rubber of the ICC Champions Trophy group stage in Dubai on Sunday with only pride of placings to place for. The winner of the clash will take on the second-best side in Group B in the first semi-final of the tournament after just a day’s break.
With India choosing not to practice on Saturday, the eve of the game, their session on Friday was the last to tune up according to their strategic plans. Speaking to the media, KL Rahul did not give away much on those plans but he was humble to acknowledge that he might be one of the pieces in the jigsaw puzzle for India if they chose to use the match against the Black Caps for heavy experimental games.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has often been trolled for being slow especially when the backup option is Rishabh Pant. The maverick batsman has been labelled exciting, yet he has recently thrown his wicket away and upset the team management. In Dubai, Pant has yet to play in India’s two matches while catching a viral bug. Having got a couple of days to recover, the toss-up is again a strong prospect.
“I won't lie. I mean, he's [Pant] obviously a very talented player and he's shown all of us what he can do and how aggressive and how quickly he can change the game. So yes, there's always the temptation for the team as well, whoever's the captain, the coach to either play him or play me.
“If I'm given the opportunity, I try and see what I can do best. I am not trying to compete with Rishabh or I try to play like him. He is picked on the basis of how he can play and what he can provide for the team and the same applies to me. So, I try and do what I do best and try and stick to my game.”
Rahul was also honest on being trolled for his sedate batsting even as he has been forced to play down the middle order with uncertainty of batting at No.5 of No.6 position. “I do read about it. And if it's valid, then I'll take into account. I’m quite used to it. Given the game scenario and how I played that innings, if I go back and think ‘I could have played a bit faster’ then I'll take into my training sessions next time and work on it.”
Ironically, in his reply to another question on the pitch conditions, Rahul inadvertently highlighted his candidature for being in the playing XI.
“The wicket is slow. Going in, any new batter, he will find it difficult to rotate the strike. The good thing is that we have played in Dubai before. We were mentally a little bit prepared and the practice we were doing there also had similar wickets. I think on such wickets, whoever is the set batter, the longer he plays, the better it is for the team. And that's what gives you that extra 30-40 runs. Because if the wickets keep going, the new batters will find it a bit difficult.”
If Pant gets a look-in, it is something that India and the left-handed batsman will have to focus on if the team has to get stronger before the crucial games.
Speaking of preparation, their rivals New Zealand have had very little time to acclimatise and on the wrong side of the scheduling but spinning all-rounder Michael Bracewell said in an informal media huddle that the Blacks Caps were not looking much into that. New Zealand played their two matches in Pakistan, will play India on Sunday and then fly to Lahore for their semi-final on Wednesday with hardly any time to reacquaint.
The 34-year-old Bracewell said it was “exciting to play in ‘different conditions’. Look, it is what it is. It's been decided, and there's no point dwelling on that. It's part of what makes it exciting. We're excited to try and learn to play in different conditions.”
The saving grace for the Black Caps is that New Zealand were in Pakistan for almost three weeks where they played and won a tri-series.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s game then becomes a balancing act of winning to keep the momentum going while also preparing for the trophy tilt in the best manner possible. Also in Pakistan, rain washed off the play between Australia and Afghanistan to put the former at the top of the table in Group B.
