Cricket

India's Path to T20 World Cup Glory: Aggression and Virat Kohli's Crucial RoleLegendary South African batter AB de Villiers has emphasized the importance of an aggressive approach for India to triumph in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. He believes that the team should "throw the first punch" in their matches to gain momentum.India has concluded the group stage with an impressive record of three wins in three matches, but they face a tough challenge against Afghanistan in the Super Eights. De Villiers advises India to take risks early in the game and not be conservative.The former Proteas star also highlights the crucial role of Virat Kohli in India's batting lineup. He believes that Kohli should occupy the number three position, as he is "the best player in the world during middle overs."Despite a disappointing start to the tournament, Kohli has the potential to turn things around. De Villiers points to Kohli's exceptional performance in the recent Indian Premier League, where he adopted a more aggressive approach against spinners.However, Kohli's aggressive strategy has not been effective on the challenging pitches in New York. As India moves to more favorable conditions in the West Indies, Kohli will be eager to break his streak of low scores and showcase his newfound style.De Villiers believes that Kohli's ability to play both the attacking and absorbing roles makes him the ideal candidate for the number three position. He emphasizes that Kohli can control the pace of the innings and provide stability when needed.By adopting an aggressive approach and utilizing Kohli's versatility, India can increase their chances of breaking their drought of ICC tournament titles and emerging victorious in the T20 World Cup.

Virat Kohli's Form: Aakash Chopra Advocates Patience and Time on the FieldAhead of India's crucial T20 World Cup Super 8 match against Afghanistan, former cricketer Aakash Chopra has expressed his views on Virat Kohli's recent performance. Chopra believes that Kohli's form will improve if he spends more time on the field.Kohli has struggled in the group stage, scoring only 1, 4, and 0 runs against Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States, respectively. Chopra emphasized that Kohli's return to form is not solely dependent on the opponent but rather on his exceptional caliber as a player."I believe Virat Kohli should return to form against Afghanistan, not because of the opponent, but because of the calibre of player he is and the form he exhibited coming into this World Cup," Chopra said. "Considering the venue, there is hope the ball will come onto the bat well, and the side boundaries aren't very large. I think he has been overly aggressive."Chopra further analyzed Kohli's dismissals during this World Cup, suggesting that an overly optimistic approach has hindered his performance. "In India's last match against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, he attempted a six on the first ball and got out. His dismissals during this World Cup suggest an overly positive approach that hasn't worked for him. I hope he gives himself some time because Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq are in excellent form, plus they have a strong spin attack. If Kohli gives himself some time, his form won't be a concern," Chopra said.Chopra's advice aligns with the need for Kohli to regain his composure and focus on building an innings. By spending more time at the crease, Kohli can assess the conditions, adjust his approach, and regain his rhythm.

India, the tournament favorites, will face Afghanistan in their opening Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup on Thursday. Virat Kohli, eager to return to form, and Kuldeep Yadav, hoping for an opportunity, will be in focus for India.The main talking point ahead of the game is the composition of the Indian team. India must decide whether to stick with the same line-up that succeeded in the group stage or include Kuldeep Yadav, their top spinner from the past year, possibly at the expense of a fast bowler.Captain Rohit Sharma has expressed interest in playing all four all-rounders—Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. This approach has worked in the bowler-friendly conditions in New York, and Rohit is likely to stick with the team that extends their batting until number 8.To accommodate Kuldeep, India would need to drop either Mohammed Siraj or Arshdeep Singh, with Siraj being the more likely candidate to be benched. Recent practice sessions suggest the pitch may favor spinners, strengthening Kuldeep's case. Additionally, a gentle breeze at Kensington Oval could assist pacers in swinging the ball during the powerplay.All eyes will be on Kohli, who has yet to score double digits in the tournament. His aggressive approach did not pay off in New York, but he is expected to excel on the better wickets in the Caribbean. At 35, Kohli is known for his high intensity and dedication, as demonstrated during training sessions.Afghanistan arrived at the Super 8s following a heavy defeat to the West Indies in St Lucia. Their previously dominant bowling attack was dismantled by the powerful West Indies batting lineup. Captain Rashid Khan dismissed the loss as a minor setback, maintaining that Afghanistan still has a strong chance of reaching the semifinals.Rashid will rely heavily on left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi, who has been prolific in the powerplay and is the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets. Farooqi's ability to swing the ball back in will be a significant challenge for Rohit and Kohli.Rashid himself will aim to take wickets while maintaining a low economy rate during the middle overs.

Suryakumar Yadav, the world's top-ranked T20 batter, has demonstrated his adaptability by adjusting his playing style to the challenging wickets encountered during the T20 World Cup. However, he anticipates the pitches in the Caribbean to be more conducive to his natural strokeplay.India's Super 8 journey commences on Thursday against Afghanistan. The team will also face Bangladesh and Australia in St Lucia, a venue that has already witnessed the highest total of the tournament. They will also play matches in Antigua.The "spicy" wickets in New York forced Suryakumar to exercise patience, particularly while playing shots behind the wicket. In India's match against USA, he guided the team to victory with an unbeaten 50 off 49 deliveries, a strike rate significantly lower than his impressive average of 168.06."If you have been number one for two years, you should be able to bat in different conditions and change the game as per the needs of the team. That displays good batsmanship and that is what I try," said Suryakumar during a media interaction."It's difficult to generate that force when there's no pace on the wicket and when someone has read your game nicely. So, at that time, you have to be very smart how you want to extend your innings. You have to change according to the situation, what team demands at that moment and talk to your partner who is inside, calm your nerves down and then take the innings ahead."Suryakumar is eager to showcase his versatile batting style once again in the West Indies, although he didn't face any significant challenges with the conditions in the United States."I was happy playing there as well (laughs). It's not that we weren't happy playing there, but we were playing for the first time, so yes, the conditions were different and little challenging as well. But we have played here (in West Indies), we know the conditions."The Kensington Oval pitch has a distinct brownish appearance, which the Indian team also observed during their previous tour of the Caribbean."The practice pitches, yeah, they were a little spicy in New York. It was fresh. They made the conditions after they got to know there is a World Cup there. Here they have been making pictures regularly and they are much better than (USA)," he said.The spinners have been doing well in the Caribbean conditions so far in the tournament but Suryakumar is not perturbed."That has always been my strong point (sweeps and reverse sweeps). I've tried to play the same way that I do in the practice sessions."In a strategic move, Virat Kohli has been paired with captain Rohit Sharma to open the batting, while Rishabh Pant has been elevated to the number three position. The question remains: if India suffers early wicket losses, will Suryakumar adapt his approach to the situation?"Nothing like that has happened. We try to play the format of the game. If there are early wickets you still have to put runs on the board and bat with that same intent. That is what we try and tell each other to take the positive route. The management has left it to the players to decide at that point of time," he added.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two of India's most prolific batters, are on the cusp of a significant milestone as the T20 World Cup enters the 'Super 8s' stage. Both players are just 104 runs away from surpassing Pakistan captain Babar Azam as the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals.Kohli, who has played 120 T20Is, has amassed 4042 runs in 112 innings. Sharma, on the other hand, has scored the same number of runs in 146 innings across 154 matches.India will resume their campaign with their opening 'Super 8s' game against Afghanistan in Barbados on Thursday. This will be their first match in the Caribbean after playing three group-stage matches in New York.The 'Men in Blue' qualified for the 'Super 8s' as Group A toppers, defeating Ireland, Pakistan, and USA. They will face Afghanistan on June 20, Bangladesh on June 22, and Australia on June 24 in the 'Super 8s'.Kohli and Sharma's pursuit of the T20I run-scoring record adds an extra layer of intrigue to India's quest for their second T20 World Cup title. The team last lifted an ICC trophy in 2013 when MS Dhoni's side won the Champions Trophy.India came close to ending their ICC trophy drought last year, reaching the final of both the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup. However, they fell short on both occasions.With Kohli and Sharma in prime form, India will be hoping to break their 11-year wait for another ICC trophy. The 'Super 8s' stage provides them with a perfect opportunity to showcase their skills and make a statement on the global stage.

India's bowling attack has been a formidable force in the T20 World Cup, but former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming believes the addition of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav could provide an extra edge. With the Caribbean pitches expected to offer turn in the Super 8 stage, Yadav's wicket-taking prowess could prove invaluable.India has currently opted for a combination of three fast bowlers (Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh) and two spinners (Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel). However, Fleming suggests that Kuldeep's inclusion could provide a different dimension to the attack."I would think maybe Kuldeep would come in to provide that extra bit of wicket-taking flair if the wickets do provide the turn as they get a little bit more used and you get closer to the end of the tournament," Fleming said.Fleming also emphasized the importance of adaptability, noting that India has the flexibility to adjust its bowling strategy based on the conditions. "But they've still got that opportunity now to do both which is good and horses for courses, you can't be so set in one way of playing that you miss the opportunities to take advantage of conditions."India's selection of two left-arm spin all-rounders, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja, has also been a topic of discussion. While Axar has been among the wickets, Jadeja has yet to make a significant impact, bowling only three overs in three matches. Fleming, however, sees no issue with playing two players with similar skill sets."So, there are subtleties around them both but again, and I hate that notion of left-handers can't bowl to left-hand batters so we can dispel that myth and both of those players can hopefully play along."India has made some tough decisions in its team selection, with talented players like Yashasvi Jaiswal missing out due to the presence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rishabh Pant in the top order. Fleming believes that India has made smart choices in its team composition, considering the potential for spin-friendly conditions in the West Indies."This is a team that in some ways is picked for the finals in my view, it's a team that has spinners that can dominate, it has players that can dominate spin and we've seen spin in the West Indies play quite a big part, not so much in New York.""So, I think they've got job done and they've got quite smartly a view of mind, this is how we want to play the key games now going into hopefully the semi-finals and final."

Afghanistan's Spin Prowess Poses Threat to India in T20 World Cup Super 8sAs the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 enters its crucial Super 8s stage, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has issued a stern warning to Rohit Sharma-led Team India about the formidable challenge posed by Afghanistan.Afghanistan has defied expectations, securing a spot in the Super 8s by defeating Uganda, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea in succession. Despite a heavy 104-run loss to West Indies, the Rashid Khan-led side remains confident as they prepare to face India, Australia, and Bangladesh in the next phase of the tournament.Harbhajan Singh, speaking to Star Sports, lauded Afghanistan's spin attack, describing it as "the best in this tournament" and highlighting the potential threat it poses to India. "They (Afghanistan) are a very good team. From the graph we've seen, they've risen significantly in a short period of time. They have Rashid Khan and Nabi. Their spinners are probably the best in this tournament. Their batting is strong; they don't just play fluke shots or get out playing reckless shots. They now have experience after playing in the ODI World Cup. They almost defeated Australia," Harbhajan remarked.Harbhajan emphasized that Afghanistan should not be underestimated, particularly in crucial moments. "This team has strength and can defeat any big team. And when they play against India, they shouldn't be underestimated because if they win the toss and a few things go in their favour, (toh lene ke dene pad sakte hain) it could be challenging," he added, underscoring Afghanistan's potential to cause upsets.India, led by Rohit Sharma, are set to face Afghanistan on June 20 in Barbados, followed by matches against Bangladesh on June 22 in Antigua and Australia on June 24 in St. Lucia.Afghanistan's rise in international cricket has been remarkable. They have consistently punched above their weight, challenging established teams and proving their mettle on the global stage. Their spin attack, led by Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, is a formidable force, capable of bamboozling even the most experienced batsmen.India, on the other hand, will be keen to prove their dominance in the Super 8s. They have a well-balanced team with a potent batting lineup and a solid bowling attack. However, they cannot afford to take Afghanistan lightly, especially considering their recent performances.The clash between India and Afghanistan on June 20 promises to be a thrilling encounter. Afghanistan will be determined to prove their worth against one of the tournament favorites, while India will be eager to maintain their winning momentum. The outcome of this match could have a significant impact on the Super 8s standings and the eventual outcome of the tournament.

Virat Kohli, India's star batter, is determined to improve his performance after a disappointing US leg of the T20 World Cup. During a practice session at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, Kohli faced off against Jasprit Bumrah, one of the world's best bowlers. Despite not scoring runs in the US, Kohli displayed a hunger to turn things around and make this World Cup his own.Kohli's batting coach, Vikram Rathour, expressed confidence in his ability, stating that he has been batting beautifully in the nets. Kohli's practice session included facing short balls aimed at his rib-cage, which he pulled ferociously, and driving pitched-up deliveries with precision.Another key player for India, Ravindra Jadeja, is also seeking batting form. He was one of the first to join Kohli in the batting nets and showed signs of improvement. The team management is confident in Jadeja's ability as a big-game player and wants him to be ready for the final leg of the tournament.In addition to batting practice, the Indian fielders also engaged in drills at the Kensington Oval. The green expanse provided an opportunity for them to hone their skills, which they missed out on due to damp conditions in the US.As India prepares for their first Super 8 game against Afghanistan on Thursday, Kohli and Jadeja are determined to make a significant impact. The team is confident in their abilities and is eager to prove themselves on the field.

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has hinted at the potential use of spinners in the death overs during India's ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights campaign. India will face Afghanistan in their opening Super Eight match on June 20 in Barbados.Jadeja believes that the slow and dry wickets in the West Indies will provide assistance to spinners, particularly in the middle overs. "Spinners will have help here in the middle overs. You could see spinners being used in the death overs as well," he said.Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav echoed Jadeja's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of bowlers' lengths in T20I cricket. "The spinners do get help in the West Indies... In this format, the bowlers' length becomes crucial," he said.India's squad includes four spinners: Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal. This selection suggests that the team is prepared to utilize spin bowling throughout the tournament.India will be aiming for big wins against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia in the Super Eights to qualify for the semifinals. The team is eager to end its drought for an ICC trophy since 2013's Champions Trophy and win its first T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007.