00:00The context has been set. It started with no handshake, the mention of Operation Sindoor,
00:06the Indian captain challenging the Pakistani team saying there is no rivalry and then the
00:11trophy drama and then boycott threats. Plenty has happened in the last four months and that's what
00:17adds that extra layer of excitement ahead of this India-Pakistan encounter. Joining us live
00:23is former India captain in Sunil Gavaskar. That was going to be my first question. With all that's
00:29happened on and off the field in the last four or five months, does that give this India-Pakistan
00:34encounter, which is anyway a charged one, that extra edge?
00:43Definitely, yes. As far as everybody else is concerned, as far as the players are concerned,
00:49I don't think they're going to be concerned with what has happened. They're not going to be worried
00:54about what happened before or after. They're just going to be focused on playing their game
01:00and doing what they've been picked in the team for, whether as a batter or as a bowler. I don't
01:07think that's going to make much of a difference to the players. Players generally are aware of what
01:10the crowd has, what the sense of the crowd is. They are aware of it. But good teams, good players
01:17hardly ever allowed that kind of crowd thing to disturb them.
01:22Anything to worry about this Indian team? We've seen them play two matches. They've won
01:26rather comfortably, but not firing on all cylinders. Is that a worrying sign for you ahead of that
01:32crucial game versus Pakistan?
01:36Firstly, in a team sport, there's no such thing as a perfect game. So, even you can go on to
01:43win every single game,
01:44but there is no such thing as a perfect game. A perfect game means everybody who's gone in
01:49in cricket means everybody who's gone into bat has scored big. Every bowler who's been given the ball
01:54has taken, you know, two, three wickets. But that doesn't happen. But what has happened is that
01:59India has come to know the areas that they should strengthen. And I think at the top of the order
02:04is the one thing that will concern them, that will worry them to a little extent. Because if Abhishek Sharma
02:10is not 100% fit, and Sanju Samson comes in, Samson's form, look, there's never any doubt about the
02:17ability that he has. We've seen it time and again that when, you know, when Samson is going well,
02:22he destroys any attack. But I, you know, temperamentally, you know, his main problem seems to be
02:29temperament, which is where the shot selection comes in. So, I think this is an area where India will be
02:35just a little bit touch-worried about. They need to get a good start in those six overs.
02:40And Samson is going to be a key player.
02:43Samson, it's interesting that you talk about Sanju Samson as well. Do you expect him to play
02:48this game? Or do you think if Abhishek is fit, I believe he's already here in Colombo,
02:53if he's travelled with the team, if he's fit, then he automatically slots in?
02:59Oh, yes. I think in case Abhishek is fit, fit to bat and run between the wickets and be the
03:06fielder that he is, then Abhishek comes in. Because he's in form. Yes, he got out first ball the other
03:12day, but normally he gets out first ball in one game, next game he scores 80-90. So, definitely,
03:18he's the one that, you know, any team will be worried about more than Samson.
03:22Saiva, this particular encounter happened at the exact same ground where India and Pakistan will
03:28be playing. Looking at the tactics, the strategy, the way the pitch behaved, what are the lessons
03:33that India can take from this particular Zimbabwe-Australia match that they can use in the Pakistan
03:38encounter?
03:42The learning is that, you know, the slower the ball comes onto the bat, the harder it is for the
03:47batters to play the big shots. And the fuller that you bowl, the better chances you have of,
03:55you know, restricting the batter. Because the fuller you bowl, it's difficult for the batter to get under
04:00the ball and hit it over the top. As long as you keep bowling under the bat, you are going
04:05to be,
04:06or as close to the bat as possible, you will probably not be hammered for sixes. So, that is
04:11something that they will have seen. They will have also seen that because there is some turn
04:15in the surface, maybe pick an additional spinner like Washington Sundar. I know he hasn't played a lot
04:22of cricket in the last month or so, but he's somebody who doesn't need that kind of cricket.
04:27His bowling is so rhythmic, I don't think he needs that. And as a batter, at number eight or nine,
04:32he gives added depth to your batter.
04:33It's interesting that we are very closely analysing India's performance and looking at a few loopholes
04:39there. But just looking at the tournament per se, keeping in mind the Australia loss,
04:45is there any team that's had a perfect tournament so far? And with that in mind,
04:49are India still looking like the favourites?
04:53Well, they are the tournament favourites. Yes, for sure. So, I think it's just a matter of,
05:00you know, just getting that power play in their pocket. The batting power play as well as the
05:05bowling power play, you get it in your pocket, you're pretty much, you know, got the match covered.
05:09So, that is going to be the key. And India have shown that they can dominate the power play,
05:14batting power play, as well as the bowling power play. Their tactics have been pretty good.
05:19Their captaincy has been absolutely top class. The field placing has been great. The catching speed,
05:25superb as well.
05:26Saiba, one other factor, you know, we've been reporting here on our live broadcast that the
05:30Indian team has landed in Colombo. Actually, they're on their way to get to their hotel.
05:34You see this nice, shiny, well-lit building behind me. That is actually where the Indian
05:39team are staying. We're here actually to welcome them and to, you know, film them, share that,
05:44share those particular visuals with our viewers as well. But the question is that, see, India played a
05:49game last night. They travelled today, gonna get here very late. One day of practice on Saturday,
05:53and then it's game day for them. Pakistan, on the other hand, have been relaxing here.
05:59Colombo has been home for them in the tournament. We saw them at practice today. Pakistan looked very
06:03relaxed, confident. Do you think that becomes a factor, India having to travel and Pakistan
06:08are based out of Colombo?
06:12No, it doesn't. It's just a short journey. There is no, this excuse must not even be thought of by
06:18anybody. That, you know, that this is the situation. Everybody knew that this was going to be the
06:23fixture. This was going to be the flying in, the timing, etc. I do not think that this should be
06:28looked at all. I don't think the players are going to be too bothered about it. It's not that it's
06:32a
06:3210-hour journey or thereabouts. It's just a two-and-a-half-hour journey. And there's no time
06:37difference at the same time as in India, as far as Sri Lanka is concerned. So, no, I don't think
06:44that's an excuse.
06:45I think you make an absolute fair point. At the end of the day, there are certain times where
06:50India have found a venue that has been their home and other teams have travelled. At the end of the
06:55day, these players play the IPL. It can get really tiring. They're so used to travelling and then
07:00performing at the best. So, that shouldn't be a factor at all. But talking about factors, the one
07:05player that's been spoken about the most, Usman Tariq, from Pakistan, as an unusual action.
07:11Firstly, what do you make of his action?
07:15Well, I haven't really seen it, you know, apart from little glimpses on television, which is not
07:20always the best thing to see. But, look, there is no law against the bowler stopping and delivering
07:27the ball. Just like there is no law to say to the batter, you can't move before the bowler
07:32delivers the ball. So, I don't think, you know, I mean, these are, you know, comments
07:35made by people who do not actually know the rules of the game. So, I don't think there's
07:41anything to be concerned. And I do believe that at the recent practice session that you
07:46were around, the Pakistani batters had no problems playing him. So, I don't see the Indian
07:51batters having too many problems playing him either.
07:53I think you've hit the nail on the head. I think it's, you know, the Indian team that
07:57needs, really needs to look at playing him based on the deliveries and not think too much about
08:03what has been made about his action. And as you rightly point out, that there's nothing
08:07drastically wrong there with the action. But the only thing that, you know, comes to my mind
08:11at the moment, it's interesting, I'm talking to you live from Sri Lanka and, you know, this
08:15is the country that produces unusual bowlers or bowlers with unusual action, you know, the
08:21Malingas of the world. You have, even right now, Patirana, you had Mendes. And in the past,
08:28we've seen bowlers with unusual actions or unorthodox actions have troubled the Indian
08:32team. With that in mind, should we be worried as Indian fans?
08:38No, no, I don't think so. I think, look, in a T20 game, they are going to look after going
08:42after a particular bowler. And I think here, it was more than the mystery of the bowler.
08:47It was the short selection that got some of the Indian batters out. So, I don't think
08:51it is too much of an issue. I think looking to play across the line, if you miss, you're
08:56going to be bold or LBW. That's what happened. Every time you look to hit more straighter,
09:01then you're more likely to get some bat on it. And I don't think the Indians are going
09:05to be too concerned about having given four wickets to Rasmus.
09:09Okay, on that perfect note, thank you so much for taking our time speaking to us here
09:12on India Today.
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