Chennai, Feb 25 (PTI) Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak acknowledged pressure on India ahead of the must-win T20 World Cup Super Eights match against Zimbabwe but expressed confidence in his side’s ability to handle the crunch situation.
The heavy 76-run defeat against South Africa in Ahmedabad has made it mandatory for India to win the remaining two Super Eight matches against Zimbabwe here on Thursday, and against the West Indies in Kolkata on March 1.
“See obviously, World Cup in India, there will be pressure and a lot of expectations. I am a big believer that any international game you play, you will feel pressure. And this is a big pressure game, obviously, when you are representing a country,” Kotak said in the pre-match press conference here on Wednesday.
But Kotak did not suspect Indian players’ mental fortitude.
“I honestly believe just because we lost one game and we did not have a good partnership and all, people talk more about it (pressure).
“But I honestly think they all are good enough to handle that pressure. If we want to win the World Cup, we have to handle that pressure.
“So, it’s just, I’m personally looking for that momentum. Once we start getting that momentum again, if we do it from tomorrow, I think they will be picking up at the right time,” he added.
One part of the process of regaining momentum, for Kotak, is for the openers to fire in tandem.
Ishan Kishan has been scoring freely, but Abhishek Sharma has been underwhelming so far in the ICC showpiece.
“See in all the bilateral (series vs New Zealand and SA) our batting was really clicking. I think in this World Cup, the last game was a little concerning because in like a year-and-a-half, roughly, a couple of times only we got less than 150.
“I think we should take it in our stride that it was the worst game we played in two years, so we should just honestly I feel we should just don’t think about it too much and move ahead.
“Our openers have not clicked as well as we want. Ishan played brilliantly against Pakistan, but Abhishek had a little rough patch, two or three games. It is fine, and once they start firing it will be a different environment,” he explained.
But Kotak said India will stick to its template of aggressive batting going forward in the tournament.
“Definitely, we will play the same brand of cricket. I think we have to be very positive and play the same brand of cricket which has given us the success and clearly that is the way we will play, there will not be any difference.
“Yes, if the wicket is different and you have to adjust to the wicket like in Colombo we did, that is fine, that is part of the game,” he noted.
The domestic stalwart said middle-order batter Rinku Singh might rejoin the squad later in the day.
The left-hander had left the squad for New Delhi on Tuesday to be with his ailing father.
“And Rinku, his father wasn’t well so he went back and I think he is coming back today evening. So, hopefully he will be back today evening,” he added. PTI UNG UNG PDS PDS
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