It was a quiet day inside the Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera on Saturday.
The loudest sound was reserved for the Indian Air Force fighter jets which whizzed past tantalisingly close to the stadium roof at noon in a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s air show.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely presence has forced the security personnel to go on an overdrive and restrict entry into the stadium. No spectators were allowed inside though there were some thousands waiting outside to catch a glimpse of the players.
For Rohit Sharma it was business as usual before the big day. You couldn’t gauge from his body language that he was speaking before a World Cup final. It seemed more like a bilateral series decider. He spoke about his brand of cricket which has given India a dream run so far.
“Brand vand zaroori hai (Playing as per a brand is important) if you’ve decided it you have to implement that,” he said. “I thought the guys have done that. You can see with the scores that we’ve put up on the board, (or) the way we’ve gone about our chases.
“Obviously, you cannot just go out and play wildly to play that brand of cricket. We’ve given roles to certain individuals in this team, and told them how the team will
benefit from it. I think 99.9 per cent we’ve done (that)... 0.1 per cent I’ve taken out because you can’t be perfect.
“But I’m very pleased with the message that myself and Rahul (Dravid) bhai have given to the boys, and the boys have responded really well without worrying about their place in the team...
“The environment we’ve created is a very special one. We want to maintain that
as long as possible, and not get fazed by what happens outside (or) what people talk about.”
Rohit also spoke about his attacking batting in the first Powerplay which has changed India’s gameplan and his changing tactics based on the match situation.
“Before the start of the World Cup, I wanted to play in a certain manner. I had no idea that it is going to come off or what if it doesn’t come off. I had plans for both... if it comes off what I’m going to do in the next game, if it doesn’t come off what I’m going to do,” he said.
“But for me what is important is because I start the innings, there is a bit of freedom there for me to go and express myself... In that game against England I had to change my game a little bit once we lost a few wickets... I’m prepared to do that as well. That is what the experienced player needs to do. You can’t just think that you have to play one way. You have to adapt quickly.”
Rohit also spoke about the pressure the players face day in and day out.
“Not many have played the finals, but like I said, playing for India is as good as playing any World Cup game because there’s so much pressure. There’s so much expectation,” he said.
“Always at the airport, (or when) you’re going here and there... You have to win the World Cup, you have to score runs, you have to score a 200, you have to take five wickets. So that happens. So it is in your ears all the time.
“I’ve seen guys have started to wear headphones now so that they can keep the noise out but it’s nice... we have enjoyed our journey thoroughly till now... so yeah just one final push now.”
TURF TUSSLES THAT COULD DECIDE TITLE
Cricket is a team game but often there are intrinsic battles inside the main contest that need to be won to make a larger impact. An India-Australia final is not just about the battle between bat and ball, it involves a lot of mind games. It remains to be seen how Rohit Sharma’s men counter such challenges to come up trumps. Here’s a look into some of the individual match-ups that could swing the match in one direction or the other:
Virat Kohli vs Adam Zampa
This has been Kohli’s World Cup not because of the number of runs he has scored but also since he has been given the freedom to bat in the manner he loves most — take his time to settle down and bat deep. It showed in the opening encounter between the two sides when three of the top-order batters were sent back with 2 runs on the board but Kohli and KL Rahul rebuilt the innings. Zampa has an enviable record against Kohli having dismissed him five times, the most by any bowler. The leg spinner could be dangerous in the slow and low conditions at Motera. Pat Cummins will get him to bowl early to capitalise on Kohli’s vulnerability at the outset. Kohli’s tactics against Zampa could depend on the start India get — a sound start could give Kohli the freedom to attack while an early attack may force him to take a more cautious approach.
Rohit Sharma vs Mitchell Starc
The Team India captain has been credited with the task of laying the foundation of the innings in his own explosive style. Come what may, Rohit has not shied away from his daredevilry. It will be a tense battle with Starc who has been Australia’s leading bowler in this format. While Starc has been lethal because of the angle he generates against the right-handers, it will be interesting to see Rohit’s approach. He has dismissed Rohit three times in ODIs and knows well that his early return could spring hope for them in a high-pressure match. Australia know that their best chance lies in sending Indian batters back early in their innings. That is because if they are allowed to settle down, it could end Australia’s hopes.
David Warner vs Mohammed Shami
This will be an absorbing contest since Shami enjoys an enviable record against left-handers. Even in the semi-final, he dismissed three southpaw New Zealanders — Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and Tom Latham — bowling from around the wicket. This is because he gets the ball to angle in and then straighten which forces the batters to play, often resulting in the outside edge. Warner has rediscovered his form in this edition and Australia’s fortunes will depend a lot on how Warner gets going at the top. He loves batting on Indian wickets and knows the final will be his best stage to perform. He has often failed to capitalise on the starts. This World Cup will be his swansong in the 50-over format and he will be keen to make it memorable.
Glenn Maxwell vs Kuldeep Yadav
Mad Max, as he is called, has turned out to be Australia’s trump card following his match-winning innings against Afghanistan. But the maverick batter has always been a suspect against quality spinners. Kuldeep has been his nemesis having dismissed him three times in this format. Even in Chennai, he struggled against Kuldeep’s variety during his 25-ball stay and got out trying to break the shackles. India would hope for a similar performance from the left-arm chinaman bowler. Kuldeep doesn’t just keep the runs in check, he tempts the batters to make mistakes. A natural strokemaker like Maxwell would be tempted to go all out once he is tied down for a few balls. This is where Kuldeep proves to be a gamechanger.
Indranil Majumdar
