Speaking to India Today, former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said he is confident of India beating New Zealand in the final on Sunday in Champions Trophy. Harbhajan also defended Rohit Sharma, highlighting his role in inspiring the Indian white-ball teams.
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00:00Okay, 4-0 that is the scoreline of the Indian team in the Champions Trophy so far but come
00:06the final all of that goes out of the window it's one game and winner takes it all joining
00:12us live on our broadcast now our cricket analyst World Cup winner in Harbhajan Singh, Harbhajan
00:18not beating around the bush the first question straight up who's winning this final?
00:25Well I think India because India played well in these conditions they've been a very very
00:33good side they have done their homework batted well, bowled well and they looked at different
00:40team altogether you know when they played against Pakistan, New Zealand and now against
00:46Australia you know it looked like one side kind of a traffic so for me India is a favorite
00:53in this game.
00:55Okay India are favorites if I can you know pin you to pick a few factors if there are
01:01few factors in your mind that you think makes India the overwhelming favorites in this final
01:06match?
01:07India's spin in the middle makes them the favorite I think you know Varun Chakraborty
01:13inclusion of him against New Zealand taking those five wickets and against Australia also
01:19he bowled well you know India playing with four spinners on this track I think that's
01:25where they are beating most of these teams you know they are chalking those runs in the
01:30middle overs and taking wickets at the right time of the game so that's what is putting
01:36them ahead in this particular game as well because New Zealanders we have seen them earlier
01:43they were like 50 for two and then suddenly one 200 for sevens you know when Varun Chakraborty
01:49got his first five wicket haul so they have a good side but you know when it comes to
01:56play spin bowling and this quality of spin bowling on these condition it is going to
02:02be hard for New Zealanders to go out there to score you know those runs in the first
02:07inning and if they are chasing they'll be under tremendous pressure so that's why I
02:11feel India have a great chance to win this one okay you know there's been a big gap Arbhajan
02:16between India's semi-final now and then to the final and in this big gap I've been meeting
02:22a lot of Indian fans and you know the first question they asked me is like who's going
02:26to win and my answer is also obviously India but the one thing that they come back with
02:31is that you know you were saying the same thing on 19th November that was also 50 over
02:35contest this is also 50 over contest India were looking like the best team on that occasion
02:40also but then what happened in the final what would you tell those people that are
02:43doubtful because they saw it in the 50 over world cup that you were the best team but
02:48final you stumbled well I think they have learned from that part of course they made
02:56a mistake there by you know preparing such a track which was not suitable to their batting
03:02lineup and they had different bowling lineup at that point of a time if they had this kind
03:08of a bowling lineup at that time on that particular wicket things would have been different
03:13let me tell you because that pitch is closer to the this picture in Dubai you know this
03:19is a slow sluggish spinning friendly pitch where spinner comes into the game I think
03:25the lesson have been learned from from the last final and whether it's a 50 over format
03:32or 20 over format you know you just have to keep your nerves in control and then begin
03:37like this and back your instinct simple is that and you don't need to change anything
03:43when everything is going in your favor so I think India is favorite simply because the
03:49reason they played better cricket than the others and they look like one unit you know
03:53even though we have seen Rohit didn't score Shubman didn't score runs but then it was
04:00Kohli who stood up and took the responsibility on his shoulder to take the team through against
04:05Pakistan and and also against Australia so India have produced different heroes in different
04:12games Varun Chakravorty in bowling Shreyas Iyer he's been one of those unsung heroes
04:18you know he's his contribution is is brilliant big and Akshay Patel you know his work also
04:25goes without talking so India have got more match winners than the than the other teams
04:32I believe that's why I feel India need to play well simply just keep doing what they've
04:39been doing and if they do that right I'm sure there'll be a stronger team and winning team
04:44okay very interesting point you know Harbhajan talks here is that for India somebody or the
04:49other has been stepping up they have won four games in this tournament because sometime
04:53the top order sometime the middle order sometime the spinners and on occasion even fast bowler
04:58like Mohammed Shami has stepped up I have a tough question for you Bajupa and that is because
05:03you've taken names of so many Indian players who's been the man of the tournament so far for
05:08the Indian team you think well I think it'll be tough from from our point of view you know
05:17that the way we look at this game see Kohli is definitely one of the contender Varun Chakravorty
05:24is one of the contender and Shreyas Iyer is one of the contender I think out of these three you
05:31know anybody could get that you know so depends who performs well in the final on a big stage
05:37will be the best contender to win this one but so far these are the three contenders in my view
05:42you know who can win the man of the series or whatever golden bat or a ball okay plenty more
05:49to come with Harbhajan Singh we focused on the Indian team so far let's take a look at the
05:54opposition as well a closer look at that like India New Zealand have also played outstanding
06:01cricket to reach thus far especially their semi-final versus South Africa where they put
06:06on a match-winning total they've had one blip in this entire tournament that also came versus the
06:11Indian team to refresh your memory here is a look back at New Zealand's journey to the Champions
06:17trophy final. New Zealand opened their campaign with a comfortable 60-run win over Pakistan in
06:29Karachi. Tom Latham and Will Young glided their way to hundreds helping their team post a mammoth
06:37320. In the second inning New Zealand bowlers hunt in pairs and outplayed the host nation in
06:48what was the one-sided tournament opener. Another day another game and usual business for the New
07:02Zealand bowlers who rode on spinner Michael Bracewell's four-wicket haul to restrict Bangladesh
07:08236 in Rawalpindi. In response Rachan Ravindra came to the party as his 112-run knock confirmed
07:17New Zealand's place in the semi-finals and also knocked Bangladesh out of the competition.
07:22New Zealand's bowlers passed another stiff test with flying colors courtesy Matt Henry's
07:43fifer that kept India to 249 for 9 on a sluggish Dubai surface. In reply Kane Williamson waged a
07:54lone battle but it wasn't enough as Varun Chakravarty's maiden five-wicket fall confined
07:59New Zealand to a 44-run defeat. New Zealand batter shrugged off the loss against India
08:18with a mighty fine display against South Africa in Lahore. Batting first New Zealand posted a
08:23humongous 362 times 200 by Rachan Ravindra and Kane Williamson. Later their spinners delivered
08:32in unison to seal the deal in New Zealand's favor to set up a final date with India. Sports Bureau
08:39India today. Okay that is how New Zealand reached that final of the Champions Trophy. Harbhajan Singh
08:47still live with us. Harbhajan let's look at that one match that India played versus New Zealand.
08:52Do you think that will have any effect on this final? Will it give Indian team more confidence
08:58because they've beaten it or will it work the other way around where New Zealand will be more
09:03fired up because they've lost one game to India in this tournament? Well obviously you take those
09:08good memories into your account you know when you collect your thoughts. Okay what all have
09:14happened and what was the last game like and someone like Varun Chakravarty you know who
09:20delivered it at the right point of time you know he'll be thinking about how to bowl to these
09:26New Zealanders and he'll be feeling very confident about it you know how his day went off the other
09:31day but in cricket you can't guarantee you know if the same thing will be repeated again. There
09:38will be an advantage India I think in their mind they will be thinking that because they played a
09:45superb game against New Zealand they'll be confident. On the other side New Zealand will be
09:50thinking what are the things they need to improve to overcome India's challenges. So it works both
09:58way Nikhil to be honest whichever way you want to think as a batsman or a bowler or a team you
10:04know you take sometime inspiration from such stuff you know what has happened or sometimes the same
10:11things can bog you down. So both team will be looking things at differently but India I think
10:18will be will be more confident walking onto the field knowing that they have done well in this
10:24ground and they know these conditions better than the others and also they have got very good record
10:30against New Zealand. So on the other side New Zealand will be thinking how to tackle this Indian
10:35team and how to get a perfect kind of a game against against these Indians because the Indians
10:45are playing well. Whether we're talking about batting bowling and fielding unit you know the team
10:51looked like one. So when you play like one you more more number of time you win championships. So this is
10:57what we are talking about playing the final. You know it is all about handling the pressure and you
11:04know holding your nerves. So whoever handles it better they'll win and I'm sure it will be India.
11:11Okay interesting that we've spoken about most of the performers Arvajan in this tournament for India
11:16and why India is doing well. But one thing that you mentioned is that they're playing together as a
11:20team and whenever a team is a cohesive unit a lot of credit must go to the captain that is Rohit
11:26Sharma. I want your thoughts on the recent controversy involving Rohit Sharma where you had a
11:31Congress spokesperson come out and said that he's not a great captain. He's a very ordinary captain.
11:36He's not even fit. You've played with Rohit Sharma. You have covered him as an analyst. So give us some
11:43perspective on Rohit Sharma the player his fitness as well as Rohit Sharma the captain because that
11:48came under scrutiny. Well there are there'll be people they'll keep on talking about his fitness is whatever
11:56other skills captainship skill and whatsoever you know. But I just asked a very simple question
12:03to that lady who made this remark about Rohit Sharma's fitness whether she is part of any
12:09BCCI or any organization where you know she understand the rules and also the fitness and
12:15of course you know what are her own achievements when we when it comes to sports. So putting
12:22a finger towards anyone is very easy but that same time you know the thumb is facing towards
12:29you. So just check yourself too before you put a finger on someone who achieved a lot who played
12:36this game. You know it's it's very hard for people to actually understand how is it to be playing for
12:44India. And you know the kind of pressure a player goes through only that player knows you know he's
12:50got the responsibility to take the team forward but also you know as a player you need to perform.
12:56And you know people like you know normal people who just watch the game they love the game they
13:04they come up with so much so many opinion which is which is fine. They have their own right to
13:09you know have opinion about anyone but things should remain you know in their own circle not
13:15in public you know if you want to talk something like that. But that is something you know what
13:20they spoke but Rohit Sharma the guy I know is a very hard-working guy. He's a very selfless guy.
13:28He's someone who's a leader who lead from the front who put team always in front rather than
13:33you know himself. He's that kind of a guy and you know good to have a leader like him
13:40a player like him you know who put the team you know in front rather than you know putting himself
13:47in front. So for I respect those people you know who who respect the fact that the team comes first
13:54rather than you know I always say it's it's not about me it's about we how we can play together
14:02and win the cup. It's not just Rohit Sharma will be winning the cup it will be Team India winning the cup.
14:08So contribution from everyone's required. So you see the performance of Hardik Pandya, Akshay Patel
14:16and you know you name anyone everyone have performed in this tournament. So that's where it
14:22comes how they have played like we. So when you play like we you know the captain's
14:28responsibility is everyone is on one page. When we walk onto the field we are on one page just to do
14:36one thing right how to win this game and that I think Rohit Sharma must get credit for that
14:41for putting everyone together on the field on one page when with one mission to win the cup.
14:47Now the reason Harbhajan I asked that question is because you know at the end of the day
14:51everyone wants the Indian team to do well. One controversy was involving Rohit Sharma. We saw
14:57another controversy yesterday where there was some comments made about Mohammed Shami when he was
15:01having a drink on the sidelines saying that you know this is the time he should be keeping a
15:05Rosa. Why is he having a juice or maybe it must have been a sports drink that he was having.
15:11Does that put pressure on a player? Let's let's take Mohammed Shami as a case in point. Does it
15:14put pressure for him now he'll be playing a big final just on the eve of the final such comments
15:19are made? I think I just want to say that this is my personal view. I might be wrong or right.
15:28You know sports should be treated separately. You know people who feel that religion is playing
15:38this role or that role. I think it's fine to kind of do your routine what you do in your religion.
15:46That's fine but people to expect you know from Shami to do this or from Rohit Sharma to do this
15:52or from any XYZ to do this or that during a certain period you know which is you might be
16:00doing it because you're sitting at home or you're doing your own routine work but when you're
16:06playing as a sportsman okay you know if you don't keep yourself self-hydrate you're gonna collapse
16:14and of course you know the kind of sweat the kind of heat they are playing in you know and
16:21I think they need to drink water they need to go through they cannot go through to the game
16:27without having a water or having a snack or in between because it's a body overall you need a
16:32fuel so people who are commenting about it all I can say is that's their personal thing you know
16:38and Shami or others I don't think they'll be even okay worried or bothered about it.
16:44Okay we'll leave it at that. Thank you so much Harbhajan for taking our time speaking to us on
16:48India Today.