India’s Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York, June 09, 2024. | Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are in this Indian set-up because their ability to play decisive knocks when it matters most and Sanjay Manjrekar doesn’t mind some underwhelming group league scores from the two megastars if they can make the difference in the semi-finals or final of the T20 World Cup.
While Kohli failed to reach double figures in the three matches he has completed, skipper Rohit suffered a fifty against Ireland but did not score much against Pakistan and USA in the next matches.
“Ideally, when you’ve gone for the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, you’ve gone for experience. You want to take World Cup-experienced players to deliver when it really matters,” Manjrekar said. PTI in an exclusive interview.
The former India player added, “So, I don’t mind if certain players don’t perform. Coming to the knockouts, if they play a clear round in the semi-finals or the final to win the title, that’s the kind of expectation you should have from senior players.
“When a youngster comes forward, it’s a bonus like it happened in 1992 with Pakistan, with Inzamam ul Haq. It’s the seniors who have to make the main contribution and that’s why I guess the selectors are looking for experience in the T20 World Cup or the World Cup in general.”
Manjrekar, who has played 37 Tests and 74 ODIs, is one of cricket’s most respected analysts and when asked about the future of the legendary duo in T20Is after the World Cup, he felt it could be answered by the players themselves or the national chairman of selectors. .
“I think this is the best question for the chairman of selectors what is the plan and both of them can understand what the plan is and how the selection committee will think and I think there is still a lot left in the tournament before they start thinking along those lines,” said the Mumbaikar .
Dube in Windies? Let’s wait and watch
Shivam Dube, the toast of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL campaign, has yet to look easy on New York’s tough lanes and seems to struggle when the ball is off the bat.
Since he is a designated power hitter, the jury is still out on his utility on the Caribbean track, which may not be the best choice.
“We’ll have to wait and see. You’re right because the hitting you see from Shivam Dube is on some of the flattest pitches in the world and it’s also a long league (IPL) where a lot doesn’t depend on one game. So the pressure of the World Cup is different- strange.
“So we have to wait and see if Shivam Dube can replicate what he did in the IPL against the spinners. we have to see if Dube can upgrade his power scoring skills against the spinners on the track,” Manjrekar said.
Rishabh at number 3 is a great move
Manjrekar didn’t expect Rishabh Pant to be promoted to No.3, but it has been a master-stroke as the flamboyant left-hander was easily India’s best batsman during the group league stage.
“They (team management) want more impact players, in every position down and Rishabh Pant, I did not expect him to bat at number 3, and what a great move, starting from the warm-up game against Bangladesh, when Samson and Rohit Sharma took some time to get used to the surface,” he said.
“Pant has shown class. He has been India’s best batsman in this tournament so far, and on a tough pitch, and that is Rishabh Pant’s class. He gave us the No. 3 slot as well as ensured that India didn’t have a six. The right-hander like in the Cup The world 50-over and India’s only left-hander has Jadeja at No. 7.”
If the pitches offer turn in WI, India can opt for the finger spinners
Kuldeep Yadav, India’s best spinner of the past 18 months, has been on the bench for picking four all-rounders (two seam bowlers and two spin bowlers) during the tour of the United States.
West Indies’ pitches are supposed to be conducive to spinners, but if it’s a reversal of rank, India might go with two finger spinners instead of two wrist spinners, Manjrekar said.
“The thing about the pitches in the West Indies is that if India find the right pitch, then they will love to have the finger spinners (Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel) because if you look in India, when we have top-ranked spinners, you always see that you have Ashwin and Jadeja, to be enough.
“Kuldeep Yadav’s great strength is that when there is not much in the field, he will take more from the field than any other spinner, plus the kind of artistry that he has, plus all the values of bowlers that are not there yet. It seems because there is so much in the field, that is what you need. only bowlers can bowl accurately.”
The interview was facilitated by Disney+ Hotstar, which also aired its first exclusive LIVE cricket show, ‘Caught & Bold’ featuring Harbhajan Singh, S. Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla, Ambati Rayudu, Sanjay Manjrekar and a host of others. former cricketers from around the world.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 streaming LIVE and FREE on mobile on Disney+ Hotstar.
