India posted a massive 192 runs tonight against Hong Kong in their Group A clash in the Asia Cup 2022 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. It proved far too big a target for the minnows to chase down and they fell short by 40 runs. Mr Cricket UAE Anis Sajan and the Gulf News team discuss the match and talk about where India need to improve if they are to retain the trophy.
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00:00For once, I could see where Rohit Sharma loses temper. I wouldn't say the word temper, but he was not happy about what's going on.
00:08Both the bowlers let him down today. Both the fast bowlers. One point for 54 or 53 and one for 44.
00:13This might be crucial if you come across a side like Afghanistan where it's dangerous.
00:17Hello and welcome to Golf News Straight Back. It was match number four tonight in the Asia Cup between India and Hong Kong.
00:32India won the match by 40 runs. Mr Cricket UAE Anish Sajjan is here. Anish, what did you make of the match tonight?
00:40Thank you, Imran. Hello, Shyam and hello to all the lovely people of Golf News.
00:44Well, if I have to be very honest, even though the match must have looked that India won it in the end by 40-odd runs,
00:51but you have to give credit to Hong Kong that they did not give it easily except for that swashblossoming knock from Surya Kumar in the end.
00:58And mind you, both Avesh and India's other bowler Ashdeep Singh were off target today. Thankfully, that innings from Surya saved India's blushes.
01:08Anish, it was a chance for the likes of KL Rahul, Virat Kohli to get some much-needed runs on the board.
01:14Kohli did that. He did. He got 59 not out. How important was that knock for his confidence?
01:19Very important, Imran. Even the first innings knock against Pakistan, even though he must have scored 33, it was, I would say, a perfectly imperfect innings.
01:29And today, again, he was slow off the blocks. But that's what Virat Kohli is. He cannot just go bang-bang.
01:36And wickets, where it is slow, you can't just hit across the line. He had to make that adjustment.
01:43And thankfully, he did not give it away like last time. He got some runs.
01:48And also, I would say, Rahul's innings, even though a bit scratchy, time spent in the middle will help them as the tournament progresses.
01:56Shyam, Rahul never really got going. He went for 36. What does he need to do to get himself out of this lean patch that he's currently suffering?
02:07Like Anish said, he needs time in the middle. And he's not timing the ball well, but he played a couple of pick-up shots quite well.
02:15Which means he's around there, but he needs some more time in the middle to get going, to get some kind of fluency.
02:22Anish, Hong Kong kept India quite quiet after the six overs. They only had, I think, 44 runs, one wicket down.
02:32And after 10 overs, they were, I think, only on 70 runs. How were you feeling at that halfway mark? Were you a bit concerned?
02:40I will be very honest, not concerned. Because India had not lost too many wickets.
02:45If India had lost too many wickets, like the Sri Lankans and Bangladesh lost to Afghanistan,
02:51then they would have been concerned because the wicket was not that easy.
02:54You have to give credit to Hong Kong. They did not give easy balls.
02:57Bearing that fourth over bowl by, I think, one of the fast bowlers, which went for 20 runs, they had kept the leash.
03:04And then in the end, Surya Kumar Yadav played that 360-degree knock, which makes it difficult for bowlers where to bowl.
03:12And they have to alter their lines, and that makes it easy.
03:15So, innings of Surya Kumar Yadav was the difference of India scoring 160 and 190.
03:20Yeah, Shyam, he has mentioned Yadav there. I think that blistering knock changed the game.
03:25He got that 68 of, I think, just 26 balls.
03:28If it was not for him, do you think it is fair to say that India might have been in some trouble?
03:34Maybe. But I think India has enough experience to get out of that.
03:39But still, that made the difference between an easy win and a tough finish.
03:49In the end, I guess India might have squeaked through.
03:53But it won't be as easy as what it seemed later in the day.
03:57Because at no point did Hong Kong look like chasing the score.
04:03In fact, Anish, that last five hours of the game, India got 78 runs.
04:07Ultimately, that's probably where Hong Kong lost the match, isn't it?
04:11Very true, Imran. Well, that is where the experience comes.
04:14These boys don't get to play a lot of games.
04:17And when they come across a player like Surya or probably Pant in the future,
04:20they don't know how to bowl to such players.
04:23And then that is where the experience counts.
04:25So that was where we won the game, in the end, comfortably.
04:30But again, I'll try to emphasize on that.
04:32Both bowlers, Avesh and surprisingly even Ashdeep, couldn't find his line and length.
04:38He was bowling, actually, I would not say loose balls, but he was not knowing where to bowl.
04:43And for once, I could see where Rohit Sharma loses temper.
04:48I wouldn't say the word temper, but he was not happy about what's going on.
04:52Both the bowlers let him down, Surya. Both the fast bowlers.
04:54One point for 54 or 53 and one for 44.
04:57This might be crucial if you come across a side like Afghanistan were dangerous.
05:02Shyam, what do you think Hong Kong would have learnt about themselves tonight?
05:05You know, they don't get to play the likes of India or the best players in the world all the time.
05:10They haven't come away with a win, but they would have come away with some pride at least tonight, wouldn't they?
05:15No, there are a lot of positives for them.
05:18For one, they crossed 150.
05:20And I don't think too many sides in this tournament have crossed 150.
05:23That is a huge plus.
05:25So, I mean, especially Baba Hayat showed that he could really play some big shots.
05:30And also some bowlers like Shukla.
05:33Shukla had a very excellent spell.
05:35And two bowlers, especially Ehsan Khan and Ayush Shukla.
05:38They gave less than 30 runs in four overs.
05:41Which is incredible against a side like India, with such a power-packed batting line-up.
05:46And their fielding was not too bad either.
05:49So, lots of positives for them to take from this match.
05:53Anis, you agree with that? Lots of positives there for Hong Kong?
05:57Again, you know, you have this positive as long as you get to play more games.
06:01In the last few months, these boys have played, I think, 20-odd games.
06:04But it's against the Minos they have played.
06:08They would be happy if they get to play with India, the Pakistanis and the other nations.
06:13So that they get tested.
06:15Because when you play against the associate nations, I don't say they are not tested.
06:19But you are not up to the wall.
06:21Today, they came across Surya Kumariyadu.
06:23Next time, they might come across Anasif Ali.
06:26Or against Sri Lanka, Rajapaksha.
06:28Or against Afghanistan, you know, the Zadrans.
06:31So, this is where they will know where to bowl.
06:33And I really hope the ICC takes into account.
06:37Because you just call them to play an Asia game or a World Cup game.
06:40They need to play.
06:41Even in UAE, I want my boys to play a lot of games.
06:43So that, you know, they are up for it.
06:45Now, UAE is going to Australia.
06:47I am afraid, on the back of two defeats in Oman, they won't be prepared.
06:54I don't know how much warm-up games they will get.
06:56I know, still in Peaches, we saw how Zimbabwe is struggling against Australia.
06:59So, more games, more experience.
07:02More games needed for all these guys.
07:04Yeah, you are right.
07:05But, as long as they are learning from their mistakes,
07:08no point for them just continuing to play and making the same mistakes.
07:11Shaan, what do you think?
07:12Do you think they are going to learn as they go on?
07:14Of course.
07:15Of course.
07:16Every match is part of the learning process for them.
07:20Today, if you look at most of the plays, the shots,
07:23except, I think, Baba Hayat,
07:25most of the shots were played square of the wicket.
07:28Which means, the ball was coming faster on to them.
07:31Which means, they were not able to hit through the line.
07:35That is because of the extra speed that the Indian footballers have
07:38which they don't face in the Associated Nations tournament.
07:41That's one thing.
07:42If you go to Australia, or even South Africa, it doesn't matter.
07:46You get the extra pace and the bounce,
07:49which would be, again, something alien to them.
07:52If you go to England, the ball keeps moving around,
07:55which is again, an unfamiliar scenario for them.
07:58So, with every play and every match and everywhere they go,
08:02they get to learn new things.
08:04They learn to adapt and adjust their technique accordingly.
08:07Okay.
08:08From what you've seen of India so far in the tournament,
08:11do you fancy their chances of retaining the Asia Cup?
08:14Where do you think they need to improve?
08:17To me or to Anis?
08:19It's Shyam to you.
08:20You go, Shyam.
08:21And Anis can have a think and answer.
08:24Yeah.
08:25I mean, I wouldn't read too much into this.
08:27Because if you look at the India-Arrested Hardik Pandya,
08:30which was one of the best players in the previous match.
08:34So, they didn't go full tilt, I would say, in that department.
08:37Then also, this gives them an opportunity to test.
08:40If you look at Avesh Khan,
08:42frankly, I'm not happy with the way he's bowling
08:45in the Pakistan match.
08:47Or today, it was even worse.
08:49So, that is one area where India needs to look at seriously.
08:53The third seamer is a serious problem.
08:55And they need to have a ready-made solution for that.
09:00I mean, with Ashdeep, I would say,
09:03it could have been an off-day for him.
09:05Because in the previous match, he had bowled excellently.
09:07And this young lad, he's been bowling superbly.
09:11So, again, it's a part of his learning curve.
09:15Spinners bowled excellently.
09:17So, the bowling department looks okay,
09:19except barring the third seamer.
09:22Batting, I think, is still...
09:24We're still taking its own time, coming into their own.
09:28I'm glad they're giving time to Rahul to get into the groove.
09:30Because once Rahul gets into the groove,
09:32he can be a very good asset.
09:34But the rest of the things, I think,
09:36is falling into place.
09:38But Rahul, I think he needs to get out of his rut
09:41and play more aggressive cricket.
09:43But it's like T20,
09:45they're all talking about upping the tempo
09:47right from the start.
09:49But if Rahul is going to play like this,
09:51no, I think then we'll have to look at other options.
09:53Anis, is it falling into place for India?
09:57I just want to add to Shyam's line.
09:59I remember before the Asia Cup started,
10:01there was that big noise made
10:03by the Indians, especially the captain
10:05that we're going to play fearless cricket.
10:07And I'm afraid in both the matches,
10:09I couldn't see the fearless cricket.
10:11They were giving time.
10:13So, it's gone out the window
10:15or they're giving chance and opportunity
10:17for Rahul and Virat to get into their groove.
10:19We'll have to wait and watch.
10:21Honestly, this was not fearless cricket.
10:23This was a proper street smart cricket,
10:25but I'm the old school, so I prefer
10:27the way they played this way.
10:29Old school rules.
10:31There's a must-win game tomorrow
10:33between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
10:35in Group B. The winners will take
10:37the second spot in the Super 4.
10:39Who's it going to be, Anis? Who's going to win tomorrow?
10:41As I've always mentioned,
10:43if I start predicting like this,
10:45I'll become a millionaire
10:47and say that this team is going to win
10:49but I'll fancy Sri Lanka
10:51to upset Bangladesh.
10:54I'm using the word upset
10:56because both are on the same level
10:58but Bangladesh is still coming on the back
11:00of Zimbabwe's series loss.
11:02You never know with Sri Lanka,
11:04they're also having a rough time.
11:06What Angelo Matthews told me today
11:08is that they need to have a proper template
11:10on how to go about the innings.
11:12Like if the Dubai wicket is testing,
11:14they need to not lose wickets in the powerplay.
11:16So, the team which keeps its head in the powerplay
11:18I feel is going to win.
11:20But there are no ifs and buts.
11:23It's a tough call, Imran
11:25because both teams
11:27are pretty badly placed.
11:29Their past record doesn't
11:31all go well.
11:33It's tough to make a call here
11:35but Sri Lanka seems to have a better
11:37in terms of experience
11:39they have
11:41a better quality in the side
11:43but the biggest asset
11:45for Bangladesh is
11:47their fighting spirit. They fight like tigers.
11:49So, I would go with
11:51Bangladesh tomorrow.
11:53They need to play like tigers too.