Asia Cup: Vikram Rathour backs team to score big vs Pakistan
Pallekele, September 5
Ahead of their Asia Cup Super Four match against Pakistan, India batting coach Vikram Rathour said their batters have the skills to post a big score against the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led bowling unit.
Pacers Afridi and Haris Rauf had rocked the Indian top-order in their Group A league match here on Saturday, reducing them to 66/4 inside 15 overs.
“We will try to bat better in that (Super 4) match. (In the last match) the conditions and situations were different. They are a good bowling attack. It is not like we can’t play them (Pakistan pacers). They are a good bowling attack and on certain days they will have an edge. When we get a start, our batters are capable of putting up a big score,” Rathour said.
Rathour was chuffed to see Ishan Kishan responding to the team’s guiding philosophy of flexibility with a mature knock against Pakistan. Kishan, who batted at No. 5 for the first time in his career, made 82 off 81 balls against Pakistan. He shared a 138-run alliance with Hardik Pandya to help India post 266 but the rain-hit match was eventually abandoned.
Rathour said it is a good sign for India to have two very good batters in Kishan and KL Rahul to choose from for the middle-order slot.
“Ishan played really well against Pakistan. KL Rahul has done well for the team in the last two years. It is a good problem to have,” said Rathour.
