New Delhi: Team India may have a brilliant 7-0 winning streak against Pakistan in World Cup history, but the legendary cricketer and former captain, Gundappa Viswanath has advised the Rohit Sharma-led side to not get complacent with the previous records as “past is history”.
Pakistan lead India 73-56 in the head-to-head record in ODIs. But the story is different as far as 50-over World Cups are concerned. India have won all seven encounters against their arch-rivals starting from 1992.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Gundappa Viswanath shared his views day ahead to the India-Pakistan match in Ahmedabad. He also said Babar Azam’s struggling form can click “anytime”.
“You can’t think about seven games already in the World Cup. That’s different. That’s what I said. That’s history. But tomorrow’s game is fresh. And you have to think about that, you shouldn’t be thinking that we are the better side everyone knows. Probably the Indian team kows they are a better side.
“But you can’t get into that frame of mind. We are better, so we are going to win. But, who plays best, it all matters. So, for that, you have to work hard, you can’t leave one player thinking that if I don’t do, some other batsman is there, he will take care. No, no. That’s your job, when you have a bat in your hand, you have to think about what you have to do. Forget about who is the batsman coming next. So, that’s what you have to think. That’s how it should be. That’s how the partnership is built. Not because somebody else will come and do it. No. Your point is, I am going to do it. That’s the mindset you have,” Gundappa Viswanath, the Star Sports Kannada Cricket Expert for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, told IANS.
Asked if he would want to give any suggestion to Indian players to handle pressure in this game, he said, “Well, it’s always a pressure game. And especially if you are playing in India, more so if people might say that it’s a home advantage and all. Of course, the fans, the crowd will definitely do that, yes. But still, for players, I think if you are playing in front of the home crowd, it’s always a pressure in any match. But it’s more so when you are playing against Pakistan.”
“The butterflies in the stomach. So, it’s just like that. Once the match starts, I think because most of them have already played against Pakistan. So, that shouldn’t be really worrying. But the jitter is always there. Once the match starts, I think everything is settled down,” the legendary cricketer said.
Asked who do he think would be the impact player for India or for Pakistan?
“I can’t really pinpoint because anybody can… on that particular day, they can win the game. Like Rohit Sharma he can win on his own being a captain, and plus, he opens the innings and he knows the pressure, how it is. And once he gets going, he can tear the bowlers apart, so he can do that.
“It also depends on how fit he (Shubman Gill) is. Whether the management also wants him to play. It all depends on how he feels. And of course Virat Kohli, everyone knows what kind of a batsman he is. And he’s already done. He’s got a brilliant knock against him. Especially when he’s chasing. We all know what kind of a batsman he is in India, chasing.
So, all in all, you can’t really pinpoint anybody. But you can’t just say only one person can win you the game. It’s a team game, of course. Whoever comes good to start with, they have to stay till the end. That’s what I feel. And Pakistan, probably I think they really struggle in the attack. But the batting is solid. Even though Babar Azam is not among runs, he can make runs comfortably. He’s a very classy player. These kinds of batsmen, they can come any time. And I hope it doesn’t come tomorrow. But, if he starts playing, nobody can stop him,” Gundappa Viswanath added.
–IANS