For India’s upcoming challenge in England, Shubman’s young team should draw inspiration from Temba-led South Africa, who overcame favourites Australia in the WTC Final at Lord’s with determination and self-confidence
SA skipper Temba Bavuma celebrates with teammates after winning the WTC Final against Australia at Lord’s on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
The Shubman Gill-led young Indian team arrived here from London this afternoon for the challenging five-match Test series against England, beginning on Friday, with both apprehension and determination. Apprehension, because most of the players have not played competitive red-ball cricket for over two months, and determination, because they know that they have the talent and skills to overcome whatever the England side throws at them over the next 45 days.
There have been quite a few positives for Team India, with three of the batters in the top five having good outings in the two first-class games for India ‘A’ against England Lions, with Karun Nair leading the show with an excellent double hundred at Canterbury, and a century by KL Rahul at Northampton. Barring them, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal too has had decent knocks in the two games. Also, at the intra-squad game in Beckenham over the weekend, batters like Gill and Sai Sudharsan would have had enough time in the middle to boost their confidence ahead of the first Test at the pacer-friendly Headingley.
India’s Shubman Gill (right) and Yashasvi Jaiswal during the intra-squad match on Saturday. Pic/BCCI X account
Coming from London and even having had a session at the Lord’s Nursery on their arrival from India, the team would have seen the way supposed underdogs South Africa overcame favourites Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s, and learnt how determination and self-confidence can help any team to overwhelm any opposition even in alien conditions. It’s an important lesson for this young team, who are without their senior-most players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, for the first time.
Another factor that would gladden the hearts of the Indian team management is the way the ball was turning on Day 4 of the WTC final. Though Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon could not make much use of it, India’s spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav were clearly excited to see the help spinners got. Yadav even commented during the intra-squad game that since “there is bounce for spinners on this surface and the ball is turning a bit, I hope the same is the case with the pitches in the [upcoming] series as well.”
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