India coach rues poor bowling show vs Pak

Dubai, November 7

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On the day India got knocked out of the T20 World Cup, bowling coach Bharat Arun rued the fact that the team’s bowlers were so hopelessly inadequate in defending a score of 151 in their first match against Pakistan.

India had lost their first match of the tournament to Pakistan on October 24. The bowling attack of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja was rendered toothless and could not take a single wicket.

Arun today said that both batting and bowling were poor against Pakistan, adding the bowlers should have defended 151 but were below-par.

India play their last match of Group 2 against Namibia in Dubai tomorrow, but the match is inconsequential after New Zealand beat Afghanistan today to advance to the semifinals.

“I am not trying to give any excuses. This World Cup, the trend has been that the team which wins the toss has a big advantage, especially when you are playing in the Dubai Stadium. So, the wicket kind of eases out as when you come out to bowl for the second time,” Arun today said.

“It’s no excuses. We should have done better. We should have batted better. Also, in the first match, we had a chance to defend our total but we looked a little below par,” said Arun.

“We are a very good side. We were the tournament favourites when we did start. But it was most unfortunate that we lost the first two games,” he added.

Gap after IPL

Arun added a small gap between the second half of the IPL and the T20 World Cup could have helped players. “First, being on the road for six months is a huge ask. I think the players haven’t gone home since they had a short break after the last IPL. They have been in a bubble for the last six months,” he said. “I think that takes a huge toll. Maybe a short break between the IPL and the World Cup could have done a lot of good for these boys.”

Arun said there are ups and downs in sports, but rued the fact that the toss became so crucial in deciding the outcome of matches. “I think the toss plays a very, very vital role in a match like this, where toss shouldn’t be of any given consequence,” he said. “But here, the toss gives a very undue advantage. It’s a huge change between batting in the first innings and batting in the second innings. That shouldn’t be the case in a very short format like this.”India coach Arun rues poor show vs Pakistan. — TNS, agencies

‘Toss gave unfair advantage here’

Bharat Arun said there are ups and downs in sports, but rued the fact that the toss became so crucial in deciding the outcome of matches. “I think the toss plays a very, very vital role in a match like this, where toss shouldn’t be of any given consequence,” he said. “Here toss gives unfair advantage and there is a huge change in batting in the first innings and batting in the second innings. That shouldn’t be the case in short format like this.”