India Vs Australia T20 World Cup: Men In Blue Ready To Take On Arch Rival Australia | Pitch Battle

Hello everyone. You're watching Pitch Battle. I'm your host, Indra Neil. Tonight we have India versus Australia. You know what sort of damage Australians have done to us last couple of years? Actually not a couple of years. Within one year. Last June, they completely, I mean, destroyed us in that World Test Championship final. Then in November, month of November, on November 90, let's put it specified on that day what happened. We were knocked out of Australia in that fifty over final in Ahmedabad and now again we are in a position to knock them out before the knockout would start, which is an amazing position and something goes wrong. I think I don't know what goes wrong, but something goes wrong with our Indian team and they see the Aussies, that yellow jersey, something goes wrong. I mean what? What goes wrong? I want to know. I mean we are joined by editor of My Kill, Mr. Abhinash Sharma. Abhinash, welcome. Thank you, Dada. I mean, what goes wrong? What goes wrong with the Aussies? I please tell me. I mean absolutely confused. But fortunately whatever happens, God forbids India. I mean, I just want India to win. If India, Indian team doesn't win also, there's nothing to fear because we are already almost there are 1111 of our legs is also already inside these same final births. So we don't need to worry. Don't need to worry at all. So your your thoughts, what goes wrong with us when we see the Aussies? I mean still I still am clueless. We were all under the impression in November on that fateful day that that jinx of losing against Australia in the knockout stage will finally break. But it didn't. Things were. I mean India were looking favourites till the toss had happened or maybe after the toss, the coin landed in the opposition's favor as well. But yes, something definitely happens to this Indian side. And maybe after a couple of years from now that my mindset mentality would start changing. It's it, I, I think it's a mental game because more often than not, we have lost to Australia in the past on big occasions. And that has been, I mean, that the, the fear of failure has, I mean, it's deeply ingrained in the psyche of Indian athletes when it comes to competing with the Aussies. It is changing, but I believe maybe another couple of ICC tournaments are when they are done and dusted. Only then can we expect the new generation, the fresh blood to not get intimidated by the name Aussie or that yellow jersey anymore. But so far, yes we have seen them happening. Not just the the 50 of them at in the Under 19 World Cup. Also, we saw the Aussies defeating us this year. Absolutely. I mean, I don't know. I mean, this is something really confused. He's also coming into this game after that upset against Afghanistan, losing the game by 21 runs. That must have been really dented their confidence. But this is where champion side, the Championship DNA we talk about of the Aussies and they're so good with it and that they all will come into play tonight, isn't it? I mean, let's see how big champion, how big champion player you are. I mean, I want to see that tonight happening. I mean, what are your thoughts? I mean, you know, being dented like that against Afghanistan, do you think it'll affect their performance tonight there? Are they the very reason because Australia is a champion side because they are not affected a lot by defeats. I mean, they're just look at the, their campaign in the ODI World Cup, the 50 World Cup in India, nobody had even thought they'll be able to qualify for the semi finals because the, the start that they had was very stuttering. And but still they started winning the moment they picked up the momentum and the the way they defeated the the opponents on their way to the finals and also in the final is a testimony to be the mental fortitude this team has and the winning mentality it has. So yes, they were shocked by Afghanistan the other night, but I doubt that it will play a lot with with them in their minds. But of course, India definitely has an edge, not just because Australia have lost a match because India has all the last decade or so. If we can look at when there's less pressure on India, they tend to do very well against the Aussies. The first match between India and Australia last year in Chennai, it was A1 sided game for India. Even in the two 2016 T20 World Cup, we saw that knock from Virat Kohli in Mohali. The way he played, the way he outclassed the Aussie bowlers and we ended up on the winning side. So we've done in the past. It's just that I think the fear comes into the Indian players, Indian players psyche when they are facing in them in the knockouts. So when it's not a knockout game, Indians tend to do well against the Aussies and that is what I'm going to expect tonight as well. The Indian team has been on A roll, they've picked all the boxes. In the last match, we saw Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also joining the party, scoring some runs, getting some runs against their name. So they must also be light on their feet. Now that the pressure of performance is at least a little bit of it has eased on them as well. So overall, I think it is going to be a good contest. The Aussies will not give an ounce for free, that's for sure. But India definitely have it in them to just settle scores this time around and knock them out before the knockout starts. Yeah, that they should do it. I mean, if you have, you know, salvage some pride, we're doing that. I mean, we want them to do it because Australia, the famous saying is you give them an inch, they'll take a yard. So that's what the Aussies are. They stand for for all these years that we've seen. What a champion side. I mean in World Trigger we have seen the mighty W changes in the 70s and 80s and the Aussies took over across three World Cups. They were absolutely unbeatable and they have already done it in in Test and ODI and now they are again wanting to wanting to repeat their form in other what they have done in other two formats. They they won the Championship in 2021, but that is a little far off in England took over. And then I mean, you get keeping keep getting these T20 World Cup after every two years. So that's, that's also kind of a problem, but whatever. But we are right in front of a big challenge. Aussies, Australia, India, Australia, England and South Africa. I mean, that's the that's the line up you're looking at for the semi finals. Yeah, it's more or less on. I mean, it's going to be this this only South Africa they've qualified W Indies are out. So a big challenge in the in West Indies has also been taken care of by South Africa. But South Africa are going to be a big challenge for whosoever qualifies from Group One because they've they are unbeaten so far they've and they've played some pretty good cricket. They are clicking well, they're peaking very well at the moment and that's what makes them a formidable side and a dangerous opponent for anyone. So even if Australia qualifies for the semis or somebody else, it is not going to be easy for them to take on the South Africans. And in all likelihood, likelihood we are going to see an India England semifinals it seems. And again India England semifinal will once again bring those memory of 2022 World Cup semifinal which India lost a margin of 10 wickets. So again there will be nerves. I think Team India should start, not just start, just think of the match against SA today. They should also start preparing for the semi finals from today itself. And if their key players keep their momentum forward, they they stuck to, they stick to their plans, game plans, well then England will definitely feel the heat. You know, I mean often I have asked this question and what is the remedy to get all of that jitters you get or the nerve wracking experience you face when you are playing a knockout game. So the best way I can think of is just treat every game like a knockout game. But its easy said than done because playing a bilateral literally it doesn't exert that kind of pressure. You see now chop and changes happening in a bilateral game in bilateral series over over the years we've seen that. But fortunately for India, they don't change the playing 11 as much as they they do it in bilateral series, but they play around the experiment, they lose, they win, but knockout matches we have been only losing. So this is quite a disturbing fact about team India. Hopefully this time they're able to, you know, swipe it clean it with a start with the clean on a clean slate with the with the mindset, you know, not carry any baggage. What you've done. Its very tough actually to say things of the free. But talking about you know, you talked about the South African side, Abhinash being a complete side and speaking at the right time. You see Indian team also versus Australian team. If you see the bowling by we start with the bowling with department. I think Bumrah is absolutely been. He didn't have a bad day so far in the tournament. T20 bowlers are bound to have a bad day. So I hope it does happen in one of the knockout games. The way he's carrying the Indian team on his shoulder, it's absolutely brilliant to see the way he's doing and rubbing the confidence to the other bowlers. So how do you see Australian bowling, Indian bowling, if you can compare these two bowling sides, which one is better on on your on your book? I mean in your book, I mean which one, which, which team is looking better on paper? I think I'll go with India, not because that we are, I mean it's our home team, but because of the overall performance. If you look at it, we've restricted the opponents inside 120 and while defending 119, but we saw them never letting the leash loosen on the opposition when it comes to even if they, the opposition was chasing 190 plus. So that's the best thing about the Indian bowling and the element of Kuldeep Yadav coming into play now. It has also given an edge to the Indian bowling lineup and this looks a pretty balanced bowling attack. When it comes to the Australians, we're still seeing it. It is revolving around Adam Zampa and Pat Cummins. These are the two of the toughest players and match winners that the Aussies have. We certainly don't want to demean or belittle the other players in the Aussie bowling lineup, they are also doing equally well. But so far what we have seen it's Pat Cummins. But even he could not help Australia win a match against Afghanistan despite he picked up his consecutive hat trick in the tournament. So that somewhere shows and reflects that there is some problem in the Aussie bowling lineup. And also let's not forget the fact that the Afghans had a almost a century plus stand. I mean, it was a century plus stand, opening stand against this particular Australian bowling lineup where while if you look at the Indian side, Jasprit Bumrah or Arshadeep Singh or Hardik Pandya, they are not allowing the opposition batters and the openers in particular to last longer are the crease. And that's the beauty of this Indian side. They are not allowing the batters to, I mean, go on the offensive and take the game away or push the opposition or the Indian bowlers on the back foot. So that's a different difference that I could make out with the Indian and Australian bowling lineup. All right. But when it comes to batting, which side is looking better on people? I would still say India because we we've seen Travis Head and David Warner, they've they've done pretty well, but they are still not living up to the reputation that they came up with in this tournament. It all boils down to how the middle order of both the teams performs tonight because I think Australia also has a pretty balanced middle order and India, same goes with India and India's middle order is in form. We saw what happened the other night, Surukumar Yadav getting out on the second ball, but that didn't let the battles slow their the scoring rate. And this is going to be very crucial against the side like Australia. If you are not letting the fall of wickets impact the flow of runs and keep that scoreboard ticking. At a better run, run rate, definitely, at a better scoring rate, definitely you're going to have an advantage or edge and you're going to be on the drive in the driver's seat more often than not against this Australian side. So India is batting in the middle also? No, no. I mean what is remarkable also we bat till, till #8 we have bowlers, we have 7 bowlers in the side. I mean which is amazing. I mean you see the fast bowlers, Archdeep is there, you have Bumrah all conquering. Bumrah I think is bowling exceedingly well. We keep taking options for India to leave. We have, you have so many all rounders on our side. We have Dubey, we have Hardik, we have Akshar, we have Jadeja, 4 all rounders. So that's something I haven't seen if I mean, again, I'm saying this is the best chance for us to lift the T20 World Cup. I don't think you'll get a team as complete as what we're seeing right now on people as far as Team India is concerned. Your thoughts? Yes, we can say that it looks a very balanced team and nobody had thought, I mean, there were naysayers, there was skepticism when the team was announced as to why are we going with the four spinners. And I think Yuzvendra Chahal seems to be a backup for the three spinners that we have slaughtered in the playing 11. And I too believe that there's hardly going to be any change in the playing 11 tonight as well. Yes, people are voicing that Shivam Dube should be dropped. Sanju Samson should be included in the playing 11 because he also can hit those lofty shots and up the ante and keep the momentum going. But it will again be a little harsh on Sandra Samson. He will come, have to come in and deliver almost immediately and if God forbid, something happens and he could not replicate what the fans are expecting of him, then once again he'll be pushed further down in the pecking order. And because that's what has been happening with him, he gets a limited number of chances and every every time he gets a chance, there's the pressure of performances too much on him and he faces the acts or gets just sidelined in the next game or the game two or three games later on. So that is not going to happen. I still believe Shivam Dube is still your best bet when it comes to hitting those spinners. And today, if you look at the Australian bowling attack at taking on Adam Zampa is going to be very critical for India in the middle overs. And I think Shivam Dubey, Virat Kohli will do it. Zampa, he should, he should versus Virat Kohli, provided Virat Kohli. I mean, we have not seen Virat Kohli play back past the power place. So first, the target for Virat Kohli should be to just last a little longer at the crease. And when you're lasting a little longer, that doesn't mean you'll just eat up the deliveries. You'll also look to score at least 1:30 or 1:40 strike rate, which is not happening with Virat Kohli. In the last match we saw, he scored pretty decently. He plays those 20 yard game balls, 24 oddballs and scored that 3034 odd runs. Something similar we need to see. And also because and as I was talking about, he needs to stay a little longer. He's was dismissed in the sixth over, 7th over. So for for him to take on Adams umpire, it is important for him to stay in the middle and keep that scoring rate going. So yes, because of the fact that the one of the best batters for India against the Aussies historically has been Virat Kohli. A lot will depend on the way Virat Kohli tackles the Aussie bowlers tonight because that will not just send a message to the Aussies. In fact, it will send the message to the opponents in the coming up upcoming games that OK, Virat Kohli is finally here and he's in a mood to send a statement that it may be his swan song, but he's still the very best that we have seen. So whatever discussion we have, we have so far, it's quite clear Australia don't have a chance. Avinash, you're very biased, I have to say that. Yeah, yes, we are. We are. And we just hope that this, the team lives up to this bias because I was there that on that fateful day on November 19, as you know, I was outside the stadium, I could see one black plus people turning out in blue jerseys. There was AI mean, the fanfare, the the atmosphere, it was all buzzing. But around 8:00 PM or 8:30 PM in the evening, all that excitement, anticipation, I mean it, it had all been blunted out by the Aussie team and people started exiting the stadium pretty early even before 40 overs were completed in the second innings. So that was the atmosphere that it was, it was so gloomy that I didn't have the, I mean, I was finding it very hard to even communicate with the spectators who were exiting the stadium. So we've we've, we've seen that as well. And so I expect the Indian team to just sort of, it won't be a revenge, revenge, but us smaller revenge because the revenge can only be taken when you are defeating Australia in a in a final of an ICC tournament. No, no, no, no, don't ask for that, please. And that's not going to happen. I think it shouldn't happen. I mean, exactly. So revenge for Team India should be that the Chennai game. Yeah, they should take it as a game. And I think they will take it as Chennai game because the pitch also Saint Lucia will be a little bit of a of aid to the Indian spinners. Well, well, well, we, we, we are really excited actually. You see, you can't wait to to see the battle beginning at 8:00. A lot of fun, lot of music, a lot of fun fare, a lot of fan going there. And as I said, it's a, it's a, it's a starting of a week and then people are little laid back when they go back to work. And but tonight when they come back, they are in for a treat. Avinash is already predicted. It's Australia all the way, right? Am I right? Oh, sorry, I am backing Team India. They're going to win this match. The also the best thing is they don't have anything to lose. I mean and so they can be fear they can they can pay fearlessly. Yeah, I mean and then don't play fearlessly in a knockout. Don't do that. I mean, I pray to cricket. God, please give us a chance because you have been fair to the opposition all this right for 11 years. Be fair to us for a change that will really change the entire dynamics of triggering Cricket is such a big thing in India. It generates so much of A billion kind of people. We have been this game in the country is well its start doing lakhs and lakhs because you know how how how involved I am we at the grassroots level Abhinash and then see there's so badly in love with this game. Thanks a lot for sharing your views and hope for an India win and India walking into the semi final slot. As we said one foot is already there inside that semi final ring and hopefully it will be a smooth sailing and we come back home and on 1st of July, 30th of June we are celebrating and from the 29th June let's start the celebration from there on and its unending I hope like it happened in 2007. I was there in Mumbai and remember it was quite a dramatic scene. I don't know if it will be repeat or what happened. What we saw in Mumbai that day, we repeat of that show St. party, you know, we've really been starved of that. You know, hopefully that happens. Avinash, thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts and we'll be back again and hopefully after Indias will take care and keep watching pitch battle.