Under the management of Rohit Sharma and steering of Rahul Dravid, India had forsaken their cautious strategy with the bat in limited-overs cricket. This transfer paid off once they ended as the second-place finishers in the 2023 ODI World Cup and champions of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“Absolutely,” ten Doeschate confirmed, in response to a question about the staff philosophy of taking part in daring cricket. “The approach is evident in our gameplay. The Test match in Kanpur serves as a prime example.”
“We are endeavoring to challenge the boundaries of our capabilities as a unit,” ten Doeschate added. “We undeniably possess the skills to achieve this. It's about instilling belief in the players to perform within a secure environment, knowing that it's alright even if things don't go as planned. Looking back at the first couple of games, such as Sanju [Samson] getting off to a quick start in the Gwalior game, he could've settled for a conservative approach and aimed for a 50-60 not out. However, he strived to push the limits. He comprehends the match situation, and the communication has been consistent in that regard.”
“We desire the players to enhance their skillset. We aim to progress cricket along with the evolving times. Moreover, we aim to prepare for the crucial moments that lie ahead in the subsequent 18 months.”
An alteration seen since Gambhir assumed the teaching position is the emphasis on having extra gamers in the staff contribute with the ball. In the second T20I, although Hardik Pandya did not bowl, India utilized seven bowlers, every bagging a minimum of one wicket.
“Observing the game's trends, it's uncommon for all five or even six bowlers to excel on a given day,” ten Doeschate remarked. “Having multiple options is advantageous. Ideally, we'd like them to bowl more, but someone like Hardik not bowling in the previous game reflects the bowling depth in the squad.”
India fielded the similar taking part in XI in the first two T20Is. However, with the collection clinched, they're possible to check their reserve abilities.
“That was always the intention,” ten Doeschate confirmed. “We have a strong squad with ample IPL experience. Our aim is to provide international exposure to as many players as possible considering our upcoming fixtures. Hence, individuals like Harshit Rana are set to get an opportunity. Tilak [Varma] joined the squad a bit later. Jitesh [Sharma] is also in contention. We are keen on giving Sanju another chance. The options are plentiful.”
The third and last T20I is scheduled to happen in Hyderabad, the place the common run price throughout IPL 2024 stood at 10.54. Nonetheless, ten Doeschate talked about that India would not rely solely on the statistics.
“Indeed, the data and trends suggest a high-scoring contest. However, similar to our experience in Delhi recently, we won't blindly follow the data. The early wickets we lost may have been due to excessive aggression. The pitch conditions were slightly challenging.
“Hence, we'll assess the pitch. While we acknowledge the high-scoring nature of this pitch throughout the IPL, it is important to acknowledge that we're 5 months faraway from the IPL. Conditions might fluctuate. Hopefully, it will likely be a high-scoring match and a top-quality encounter.”
Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
