India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, indicated potential changes to the bowling lineup for their final group match against New Zealand, emphasizing the need to maintain team balance while aiming for a top group finish. Both teams have qualified for the semifinals, making Sunday’s match crucial for group supremacy. Doeschate highlighted Rohit Sharma’s fitness post-injury and shared insights on the significance of spin in the upcoming match. He also addressed the situation regarding keepers Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, noting the challenge of managing their talents. Overall, he stressed the importance of keeping players fresh for upcoming games.
With a semifinal spot secured, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate suggested that the team may consider making adjustments to the bowling lineup in their final group match against New Zealand on Sunday. He emphasized, however, that maintaining team balance is crucial as they aim to finish the group stage with a perfect record. New Zealand has also qualified for the semifinals with two victories, and this match will determine the top seed in Group A. “We’ve had two demanding training sessions, which have formed the basis of our preparation. Regarding our bench strength, our primary focus is ensuring that our best players are available and fully fit for the second match (semifinal on March 4),” Doeschate shared with reporters.
“However, we don’t want to rest them for an additional two days. To strike the right balance, we may look to distribute the bowling responsibilities a bit more. Yet, our desire to win against New Zealand remains.”
“It’s vital that we sustain our momentum, and of course, we also wish to top the group. So, balancing these two priorities is something we need to consider in our selection,” he added.
When asked about captain Rohit Sharma’s fitness following an injury scare in the match against Pakistan, he replied, “He’s fine. You can tell he’s batting a bit more confidently now. It’s an injury he’s dealt with before, so he knows how to manage it effectively.” Doeschate acknowledged that Sunday could see a significant spin battle between the two teams.
“…they (New Zealand) have four spinners as well, so it could indeed be a spin-focused contest. Going into the tournament, we didn’t anticipate such a heavy reliance on spin.”
“The players have bowled well, and the pitch has aided them somewhat, so I expect similar conditions for tomorrow’s match.” Test keeper Rishabh Pant has been sidelined throughout the tournament so far, with KL Rahul taking on the role. When asked if having two exceptional keepers was a positive dilemma, he said, “It’s been tough on Rishabh not being able to play. But that’s the reality of sports at this level.”
“KL has performed admirably. He hasn’t had many chances… we need to make sure Rishabh stays ready. You never know when we might need him. Nevertheless, having two wicketkeepers of such quality is certainly a luxury.” Regarding the challenge of scoring on the current pitch, he noted, “I wouldn’t say it’s difficult. I believe we’ve grown accustomed to a standard where scoring 320 feels routine. However, reaching 320 has been quite challenging.”
“The pitch has behaved slightly differently in my view during those two matches. But there are likely opportunities for scores around 280-290 if you bat exceptionally well. In the broader context, it’s not like playing in Pakistan, where scoring 320-330 is almost expected.”
“We have to adapt and achieve scores that are competitive on these surfaces. We believe that around 280-290 is a suitable target, based on our observations from the first two pitches.” The India assistant coach also expressed satisfaction with the amount of rest his players have had since their last match against Pakistan on February 23.
“They’ve benefited from substantial rest. However, it’s crucial how we manage the workload over the next two games. If all the seamers end up bowling 10 overs, and then we bowl second in the first match, we’re playing again just 36 hours later, which is quite a workload.”
“That’s what I was referring to. One option is to ensure the players don’t bowl their full quota of overs, if circumstances allow. But we are prepared to manage that during the game and aim to keep our players as fresh as possible for both the first match and the final,” he concluded.
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