Tag Futebol

Stuart Broad desperate for crowds to return after bio-secure summer

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

England seamer would travel anywhere this winter so long as ECB gave bio-secure approval

Matt Roller03-Oct-2020Stuart Broad has admitted his desperation for crowds to return to English cricket grounds at the start of the 2021 season after an entire international summer behind closed doors.Broad enlisted England’s team psychologist David Young – who also works for Manchester City FC – ahead of the start of the first series of the summer against West Indies to ensure his “emotions are where they need to be”, and revealed his concerns about being able to perform without fans’ support.And while those concerns did not appear to come to fruition in a superb summer for him, in which he took 29 wickets across five Tests, Broad said in a virtual media session for the NatWest Cricket Awards that he was optimistic England fans would be able to travel to Australia for the 2021-22 Ashes as well as attending the start of next summer’s cricket season.”Obviously I’m desperate for crowds to be able to come back and enjoy our sport,” Broad said. “Let’s be honest, health and safety of people is much more important than that. But yeah, to be honest, I’m not even looking as far as Australia: I think England next April or May has got to be at the forefront of our minds to be able to get sports fans back into our stadiums.”The experts will study everything and hopefully we’re in a position in our country that that could happen – I know in October, we were due to start getting some fans back into stadiums but things took a little turn for the worse.ALSO READ: PCA accolade cements reputation of Chris Woakes, England’s ‘Mr Dependable’“I think Australia have done pretty well with it, haven’t they, so another year down the line we’d be hopeful that we can we can take our trusty support and the Barmy Army with us to Australia, because genuinely I do feel like it’s one of our best chances of doing well there with the quality of players we’re growing.”It would be awesome to be able to take our home fans to an Ashes series because they’re such special occasions.”England are not due to play Test cricket again until 2021, when tours to Sri Lanka and India are mooted to take place. In practice, the India series appears likely to be staged in the UAE, but Broad said he had no concerns about travelling overseas providing suitable Covid-19 protocols are in place.”To be honest, I wouldn’t have concerns about going away to a bio-secure bubble because I’ve seen it work so well this summer,” Broad said. “It’s felt very secure. We’ve had teams fly over and come into our bubble, and it seems to have worked really well, so if the likes of the IPL continue to work I don’t see a reason why we can’t do these bio-secure bubbles all around the world to get cricket on the screens.”I personally would be happy to go to anywhere as long as it was a bio-secure, safe environment to play some cricket because it gave everyone a boost this summer. If we got the go-ahead from the ECB – which I hope we do because I’m desperate to play some cricket this winter – I’m sure the players would be fully supportive of that.””One thing that’s very clear is training will be trickier than it was in April, May and June during the lockdown period because of the weather and being able to train outside. So there’ll be discussions about how we manage to peak at the right time and keep ourselves in condition.”I really didn’t want this summer to end. From the team’s point of view we were really growing and doing really good things and from a personal point of view I was in great condition and in a great headspace, so I just wanted the summer to continue. But unfortunately, it couldn’t.”

Forecast gloomy for Warwickshire despite Liam Norwell's debut seven-for

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Somerset’s breakneck pursuit of victory saw the visitors six down at the close still needing 136 to win

David Hopps at Taunton21-May-2019Paul Farbrace would not be human if just before start of play he did not feel a tiny pang of regret when England’s World Cup squad was announced over the PA system. Timing does not always work out perfectly, and to accept Warwickshire’s director of cricket role he had to relinquish his job as England assistant coach with cricket’s biggest one-day tournament beckoning.What is more, instead of a chance to share in history, he now knows he has walked into a Warwickshire relegation fight. A largely youthful squad looks up against it and will be releved that only one county will be relegated at the end of the season.They are not entirely out of this match at Taunton, but to be 103 for 6 at the close of a hectic second day, chasing 239 on a sporty pitch, identifies them as big outsiders. Much rests with Sam Hain, whose unbeaten 43 is the top score in the match. Few, if any, batsmen in a match where 36 wickets have tumbled in two days have looked as assured. Not that many have even tried to look as assured.If Farbrace was in search of optimism he found it in the performance of Liam Norwell, a close season capture from Gloucestershire, who took 7 for 41 on his Warwickshire debut with a controlled display of swing and seam bowling. Sporty pitch or not, he has wasted no time in proving he can make the step up to Division One cricket.

Banton injury scare

Somerset have played down fears that Tom Banton could miss Saturday’s Royal London Cup final against Hampshire at Lords after he withdrew from a 2nd XI match at Taunton Vale with a back spasm.
Banton’s wicketkeeping duties are bound to accentuate Somerset’s concerns, but their head coach Jason Kerr said: “We think it’s quite mild. The picture will be a lot clearer for us tomorrow but he is moving around at the minute in the dressing room so I anticipate he will be fine.”

Signing Norwell was a bit of a gamble for Warwickshire. He had spent eight seasons at Gloucestershire, though missed the entire 2018 season with recurring hamstring problems, but he has always been capable of hot spells when the conditions are in his favour.His debut for Warwickshire was delayed when he strained a pectoral muscle while fielding in a practice session at Edgbaston, inviting fears that ill luck had begun to follow a bowler who had previously enjoyed a decent enough injury record, but he felt the sun on his back at Taunton as he hustled in with an open action and revelled in the murmurs of a good crowd as the wickets built up.”I was quite fired up for it,” he said. “Warwickshire have been so great for me since I’ve been here and it’s nice to repay some of their faith. My bowling in the first innings was a bit rusty. I’ve had quite a long injury lay-off – a dark season in a way last year with three tears on the same hamstring – but today felt like I was back to where I was a year and a half ago. So it’s come back quite quickly.”I think it’s a good cricket wicket. Yes, it’s low scoring, but if you are going to be highly critical there is a lot of batsmen error as well as good bowling. There is pace in the wicket and a bit of nip, but I’d much rather play on these wickets and I think a lot of people would much rather watch cricket on these wickets than just getting to the third innings and shaking hands.”Somerset have batted in a frenzy in this match, regarding the surface with fatalism. The result of that was scores of 209 and 164 and an average run rate across the two innings of more than four an over. It was primarily down to Norwell that they subsided to 78 for 7 and it was largely in his absence that Craig Overton organised some late-order resistance for the second time in the match.Azhar Ali and James Hildreth were snaffled in his first two overs, both of them without scoring. Azhar fell to bounce and movement when he edged to the wicketkeeper; Hildreth was wary of something similar when he was lbw to one that held its line.His new-ball spell then brought wickets in consecutive overs for a second time. Marcus Trescothick released a few square drives, inviting hopes that his measured tread would bring some ballast to Somerset’s batting, but he became Norwell’s second lbw victim, 23 logged, his highest score to date in his 27th season. Tom Abell fell defensively to a ball that left him.When Norwell swung one back to bowl Lewis Gregory immediately after lunch and caused Steve Davies to follow a wide one that went wider, Somerset only had a lead of 152 and their hold on the game was tenuous at best. But Overton, who had begun the day by extending his Championship wickets tally to 22 at 14.77, responded with gusto as the last three wickets more than doubled the score.Tim Groenewald caused most merriment. Disconcerted by Henry Brookes’ pace, and struck on the hand, he was dropped at deep mid-on by Oliver Hannon-Dalby, a reprieve he celebrated by hauling a length ball over midwicket for six. “Short or yorker,” was probably the gist of the advice given to Brookes by his captain, Jeetan Patel. Brookes went short, and Groenewald was duly on his way, making room for a failed wind-up.Warwickshire lost two for 26 by tea. Will Rhodes fell in the first over, caught behind of Gregory for a duck and Rob Yates suffered the same fate. Jack Leach was popped on for a while and turned one to have Dom Sibley caught at slip for 26, so ending his run of centuries in successive first-class matches on six. Adam Hose completed an unhappy return to his former club by falling lbw to Overton for 4.This Somerset side can excel in the field, too, as was shown by the run out of Tim Ambrose. Hain ran the ball through point, the pair went for a quick single, but George Bartlett pounced to hit direct with a single stump to aim at. They will be confident about completing the job on the third morning.

Ball sails for six after hitting bowler's head in NZ 50-over match

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

In a Ford Trophy match in Auckland, Jeet Raval’s drive rebounded off Andrew Ellis’ head for six, before the bowler passed a concussion test and completed the match

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-20180:13

WATCH – Raval’s drive hits Ellis on the head, goes for six

In a bizarre incident in New Zealand’s domestic 50-over competition, Auckland batsman Jeet Raval struck an Andrew Ellis delivery so hard that it hit the bowler’s head and still crossed the boundary ropes for a six. Ellis, the Canterbury captain, passed a concussion test before completing his over and later on batted at his usual No. 6 position, “showing no obvious ill effects,” according to a New Zealand Cricket release.The incident occurred in the 19th over of Auckland’s innings in the third preliminary final of the Ford Trophy. Auckland opted to bat, and when Ellis brought himself on, Raval struck consecutive sixes in his first over. The second of the lofted drives struck Ellis on the front of his head before sailing over the ropes. The umpire initially signalled a four, before revising his decision. Ellis left the field for a concussion test, and went on to bowl six overs after that to end with figures of 7-0-52-2, including Raval’s wicket, in Canterbury’s 107-run loss.”Whenever anybody gets hit in the head, your immediate concern is for the person, and I was worried Andrew had hurt himself,” Raval said. “But, thankfully, it soon looked like he hadn’t been injured by what had seemed a nasty blow. He’s a true Cantab, a very tough nut, and it was a relief for me to see him carry on and complete the game without any visible effects. My hope for him is that he won’t experience any delayed concussion. It’s certainly not pleasant for anyone to experience that in a game.”Auckland’s win set up a final clash with Central Districts on Saturday, after Raval scored 149 off 153, studded with 10 fours and four sixes, to lead them to 304 for 6. In reply, Canterbury, the defending champions, were bowled out for 197 in 37.2 overs, as legspinner Tarun Nethula ran through the middle and lower order with 4 for 43. Michael Pollard top-scored for Canterbury with 47, and only one other batsman – Todd Astle – crossed 40.

Latham and Munro topple Bangladesh

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Tom Latham and Colin Munro set up New Zealand’s 77-run win in Christchurch, after their 158-run fifth-wicket stand pulled the hosts out of a difficult position

The Report by Mohammad Isam25-Dec-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:23

Isam: Munro’s innings was turning point

Tom Latham and Colin Munro set up New Zealand’s 77-run win in Christchurch, after their 158-run stand for the fifth wicket pulled the hosts out of a difficult position. The result left Bangladesh with a lot of worries, from their fast bowlers’ lack of discipline to Mushfiqur Rahim retiring hurt with a potential hamstring injury.Latham played one of his more fluent innings and made a career-best 137. Along with Munro, who made a 61-ball 87, Latham led New Zealand to 341 for 7 – their highest total in ODIs against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh fined for slow over rate

Bangladesh have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch, which they lost by 77 runs.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza was fined 20% of his match fee, while his team was docked 10%, after they were found to be one over short of their target when time allowances were taken into consideration.

In reply, Bangladesh ended on 264 for 9 in 44.5 overs, after James Neesham’s double-wicket maiden tilted the contest in New Zealand’s favour, and Lockie Ferguson’s short balls sealed it.Latham had started with a punch through covers in the third over, and continued timing the ball well through his innings. His first six was a pick-up over square leg off Soumya Sarkar, before he dropped anchor. That Latham batted until the 48th over was a relief for New Zealand, considering how they had begun.Hagley Oval had provided a pitch with true pace and bounce, and all a batting side needed was partnerships. Kane Williamson won the toss but every time two of his batsmen seemed to have the measure of Bangladesh, they faltered.Mustafizur Rahman, in his first international match since July, got rid of Martin Guptill with a slower ball in the sixth over. Williamson had looked solid, becoming the joint fourth fastest to 4000 ODI runs – 96 innings – before he was caught behind off a short ball from Taskin Ahmed for 31. Shakib Al Hasan then removed Neil Broom, playing his first ODI in six years, and Neesham in the space of 4.1 overs, both lbw playing back to full deliveries.New Zealand were 158 for 4 in the 29th over, their middle order exposed. In a matter of a few overs, however, they were in a position of strength. Munro walked in, struck the fifth ball he faced for six, and backed it up with a rasping cover drive off Shakib.Latham and Munro lifted the score by 70 between the 30th and 40th overs, setting an excellent platform for the final ten. After Latham reached a hundred on his home ground – his father Rod was watching from the stands – with a pulled six off Taskin in the 40th over, Munro moved to his third fifty, peppering the boundaries at square leg and long-on.Bangladesh conceded 103 in the last ten overs, but more grating to them were three dropped catches. Though none of them cost much – Broom was given a reprieve on 17 and fell for 22, Munro lasted only two balls after his second life, and Latham added 22 after he was dropped – Bangladesh’s bowling and fielding suggested they were undercooked.Mustafizur was returning from shoulder surgery on his bowling arm and his pace was markedly slower, though his cutters seemed unaffected. He finished with 2 for 62. Mashrafe Mortaza faded away after his first spell, and Taskin was far too short for most of his nine overs. Shakib, the lead spinner, had to settle for his most expensive three-for while part-timers Sarkar and Mosaddek Hossain hardly looked penetrating in their combined 11 overs. It begged the question: why didn’t Mashrafe use Mahmudullah at all?A good start was vital for Bangladesh to chase down the target but opener Imrul Kayes – after top-edging for four and six in the second over – was caught behind off Tim Southee in the eighth. The batsman opted for a review, and it confirmed the edge.Neesham then put Bangladesh in more trouble when he dismissed Sarkar and Mahmudullah in his first over. Sarkar was caught at mid-off for 1, before Mahmudullah nicked off for 0, leaving Bangladesh 48 for 3 in the 12th over. Thirty-three runs were added for the fourth wicket before Tamim Iqbal’s upper-cut found Mitchell Santner, who ran in from the sweeper cover boundary to complete the catch.Shakib was faced with a bouncer barrage during his 54-ball stay and he took it on, striking five fours and two sixes, one of which was a massive blow over wide long-on off Ferguson. Against the following delivery, fast and short again, Shakib was late on the pull shot and was caught at short midwicket for 59.Mushfiqur added 52 for the seventh wicket with Mosaddek Hossain, but hurt his hamstring while completing a tight single in the 38th over. He called for the physio immediately and hung around for a couple of overs after some medical attention, but eventually decided to retire hurt. He had made 42 off 48 balls.Bangladesh’s run-rate had matched New Zealand’s until about the 40th over, but the visitors had lost too many wickets to keep up. Mosaddek’s fast fifty, laced with three sixes and five fours, was one of the few positives they could take to Nelson for the remaining two ODIs.

Holder as captain an 'excellent choice' – Lara

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Former West Indies batsman Brian Lara has come out in support of Jason Holder as captain of the Test team, calling the decision an “excellent choice”

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2015Former West Indies batsman Brian Lara has come out in support of Jason Holder as captain of the Test team, welcoming his appointment as an “excellent choice”.Holder, 23, is West Indies’ second-youngest Test captain, and has played just eight Tests. He also took over the ODI captaincy last December at a similarly inexperienced stage in his 50-over career, with only 21 matches behind him, but Lara believed that if backed properly by the WICB, Holder could thrive in the role for years to come.”I saw the young man while working during the World Cup in Australia, and the pressure that he came under, personally with his bowling and even as a captain, and the way he handled it,” Lara told . “He is very eloquent and big in stature and he reminds me of another version of a Clive Lloyd.”I have a lot of belief in the fact that he can do well if he gets the support from the players but more importantly from his employers, the West Indies Cricket Board.”West Indies endured a difficult World Cup, which they exited at the quarter-final stage, but Holder showed evidence of his leadership skills during the tournament, shouldering the responsibility of bowling in difficult situations – such as the final over against a rampaging AB de Villiers – and batting with maturity.In the home Tests that followed, the same qualities came to the fore, particularly with the bat, as shown by a match-saving century against England in Antigua, and an unbeaten 82 against Australia in Jamaica.Lara, who himself led West Indies in 47 Tests, felt that Holder had already showed his mettle through such tests, and that having several young players in the team could only bode well for the future.”I still believe we are still in the same mind-set as we were 10, 15, 20 years ago which is not good for West Indies cricket,” Lara said. “I hope they can change that a bit, and the likes of [chief selector] Lloyd being around and some younger faces being around, lends to the fact that there might be something on the horizon.”

England depend on Australian win

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

It would be a sad end to England’s campaign if West Indies spring a surprise against Australia on Wednesday

Abhishek Purohit in Mumbai12-Feb-2013The finalists of the 2009 Women’s World Cup, England and New Zealand, could have their last chance to qualify for the final of the 2013 edition snatched from them before they step onto the field at Brabourne Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. If West Indies manage to surprise confirmed finalists Australia at the MIG Club ground in the suburb of Bandra in a morning start, the final on Sunday will be between the same sides.Though England left-arm spinner Holly Colvin said all that was in her side’s control was to go out and beat New Zealand under lights, there is no doubt that Charlotte Edwards and Co will be keeping a close eye on developments at MIG Club. The West Indies-Australia game will not be televised, though, and England and New Zealand will have to rely on score updates.West Indies have not beaten Australia in three previous ODIs, but those matches were back in the 1993, 2005 and 2009 World Cups. If Australia are shocked, and there has been no shortage of shocks in this tournament – courtesy Sri Lanka and West Indies – it will be an unfortunate way for defending champions England to exit.Apart from Australia, England are the only side who haven’t had a bad game in the tournament. Unlike Australia, who are undefeated, England lost twice, but they could have won those matches. Their one-wicket loss to Sri Lanka came off the last ball of the game. Their own last-wicket pair of Colvin and Anya Shrubsole took them within one stroke of ending Australia’s streak, only to fall short by two runs.Edwards’ side has showed character by roaring back from both the defeats, something the captain had said after the Sri Lanka match would not be hard for them to do. India were quelled by 32 runs, and West Indies were routed for 101 in a six-wicket win. Then, at the start of the Super Six stage, arrived the shattering defeat to old rivals Australia, as England failed to close the game after dismissing their opponents for 147.Edwards looked spent after that match. England had been in Mumbai all the while and she said getting away to Cuttack to play South Africa would be helpful. More than a thousand miles away from Mumbai, England bulldozed South Africa, who managed 77.Twice, England have had to regroup, and twice, they have done it. In 2009, they had hardly been tested on their way to the title. In 2013, the rest of the world has shown it’s catching up, and England have shown that champions will withstand blows and come back stronger.Tomorrow will be a big day personally for Edwards as well. She’s 33, the elder statesman of the game with most ODI runs, most ODI appearances and second-most as captain, and this might be her final World Cup. She has made no secret of what a successful defence of the title will mean, calling it a crowning glory in a 17-year long career. If Australia go down to West Indies, it will be a heartbreaking end to Edwards’ ambition.England have lost just three of their previous 15 ODIs to New Zealand, but will go into the game hoping Australia are able to avoid the West Indies banana peel. If they don’t, the last Super Six match will cease to be anything more than a practice game for the third-place playoff on Friday.

Haddin feels he has been dropped from ODIs

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Australia’s wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has said he feels like he has been dropped from the ODI side rather than rested

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2012Australia’s wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has said he feels like he has been dropped from the ODI side rather than rested. And Haddin believes that he could find it hard to force his way back into the one-day squad if his replacement Matthew Wade performs strongly in the first few games of the tri-series with India and Sri Lanka.Australia’s national selector John Inverarity said on Monday that Haddin deserved to put his feet up after a gruelling schedule of Tests over the past few months. However, he also said the selection panel had an open mind about who would keep wicket for the remainder of the one-day series, the squad having only been named for the first three matches.”I think anytime you’re out of the Australian Cricket team you’re dropped,” Haddin said on the Sydney radio station . “You give another guy an opportunity to take your spot. If they do well you could find it hard to get back in the team but that’s the way it is and I’ve just got to deal with that.”We need to see how young Matty Wade goes at this level. It’s seen as a good opportunity to play him and from my point of view, if he does well there’s no guarantee you’ll get your spot. Once you’ve given it up you give someone an opportunity and you might not play again … If you give your spot up, you’ve got no right to walk straight back in.”Haddin, 34, last year retired from Twenty20 internationals but remained part of Australia’s Test and one-day setup. However, a summer in which he failed to have a major impact with the bat and initially made some errors behind the stumps has left Haddin under pressure to hold his place, although he is expected to be one of the two keepers who will take part in the Test tour of the West Indies in April.He will captain the Prime Minister’s XI in a one-day game against Sri Lanka in Canberra on Friday. Wade, 24, will make his ODI debut against India at the MCG on Sunday.

Higher prize money in Caribbean T20

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The WICB has increased the prize money for the Caribbean T20 tournament to US$62,500 for the winning team, a raise of US$37,500 from what reigning champions Guyana took home last year

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2011The WICB has increased the prize money for the Caribbean T20 tournament to US$62,500 for the winning team, a raise of US$37,500 from what reigning champions Guyana took home last year. The total prize money for the event is US$125,000, more than double the amount in the tournament’s inaugural edition.The decision comes amid criticism from the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA), the players’ representative body in the Caribbean, of overspending by the board for the competition which includes two county teams, Hampshire and Somerset. The board has defended its spending on investment, claiming it has taken the rights steps to ensure a long-term return.”An increase from 8 to 10 teams and 16 to 24 matches from the CT20 2010 necessarily increase match operating and logistics costs, accommodation and travel expenses and television production costs,” the board had said. “Caribbean T20 is not yet a profit-making venture and is still in the investment phase. WICB has put the necessary plans in place to ensure that the tournament shows a long term return on investment.”The Caribbean T20 got underway on January 10 in Antigua.

Nannes steps down from first-class arena

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Dirk Nannes has decided to become a limited-overs specialist and has retired from the first-class game

Cricinfo staff19-Feb-2010Dirk Nannes, the left-arm fast bowler, has decided to become a limited-overs specialist and has retired from the first-class game. Nannes has completed only one Sheffield Shield match for Victoria this season due to injury, but has remained a threat in the one-day and Twenty20 arena, including being part of Australia’s plans.”This decision will allow me to concentrate on 50-over and Twenty20 cricket and extend my career with Victoria and Australia,” he said. “Hopefully I can continue to make a strong contribution in the shorter forms of the game for a number of seasons to come.”Nannes struggled with a hamstring tendon injury at the start of the summer but returned to help Victoria win the domestic Twenty20 tournament and gain a spot in the Champions League. He will also link up with Delhi in the IPL next month and is in contention for a spot in Australia’s side for the World Twenty20.Now 33, Nannes focussed on skiing and snowboarding in his early 20s and didn’t debut for Victoria until 2006. In 23 first-class games he took 93 wickets at 25.02.”Dirk has been an important player for us across all forms of cricket in recent years but has struggled to get on the field in four-day games this season,” Cricket Victoria’s chief executive Tony Dodemaide said. “In light of this and taking into account his age and desire to play the shorter formats for as long as possible, we’ve accepted his position and look forward to him helping Victoria achieve even more success in the future.”

Dravid confident India can 'counteract' the conditions lottery

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

With India playing their three Super Eight games at different venues in the span in five days, adjusting quickly to conditions will be crucial

Sidharth Monga19-Jun-20246:54

We’ve pushed the needle forward with our batting – Dravid

As this India leadership group starts its last two weeks at the helm, it is a good time to look back. Their biggest legacy will be dragging India towards modern limited-overs batting. Look at its biggest manifestation: Virat Kohli is a much better T20 batter while retaining qualities that made him an ODI great. In India, though, legacy is judged by ICC trophies. That unfortunately remains the yardstick for a team now used to staying among the best at other times.In what has been a bit of an irony, what seems like a last hurrah for Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma at helm and will eventually decide how fondly they are remembered by the wider public, their real legacy of pushing the aggression envelope has had to take a back seat. Two of their biggest hitters, their modern T20 batters, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube, have had to play like they would in the middle overs of an ODI.”Like you rightly said, a lot of the impetus over the last few years – and I think we’ve done it in most parts – has been to push the needle forward,” Dravid said. “If you look at a lot of our stats and numbers, we have pushed the needle forward in terms of our batting.”There’s no question about it. Sometimes in certain conditions – you’ve just got to be mindful of conditions also. I think sometimes we just get carried away in T20 cricket and just talking about pushing the needle forward, pushing the needle forward. But then, it’s also, cricket is a very condition-specific game. It’s one of the only sports left where the surface makes such an impact on the actual skill levels, the actual performance levels, what is an acceptable performance level. It’s one sport that we play where the surface makes a huge difference and it has to be brought into consideration at all times.Related

  • Six-hitter Dube awaits his moment to unleash

  • Hayden expects short-of-runs Kohli to 'work out what to do' in the Caribbean

  • Afghanistan's bowlers will ask questions, and India's batters must answer them

“I think we saw that in the US, and we saw that in New York, that had to be brought into consideration not only for us but for other teams as well. I think everyone had to do that. Actually, even in Australia [during the last T20 World Cup], there were times where you had to bring that into consideration. Not every wicket is Hyderabad or not every wicket can be the same. So, I think that’s something we pride ourselves in as well. I think we are trying to also get that ability to be smart in our decision making, to try and assess situations cleverly.”If India get the kind of pitches they had in New York, they are favourites. In the Super Eight, though, they, like most other teams, will have to deal with the unpredictability of new conditions in every match in the West Indies, and quickly decide how to approach their innings. In cricket’s other formats, batting is a reactive exercise: the bowlers start the action, and batters react to the merit of the delivery. In T20, the batters’ approach plays a bigger role. And it all depends on conditions.Rahul Dravid: Cricket is “one of the only sports left where the surface makes such an impact on the actual skill levels, the actual performance levels, what is an acceptable performance level.”•ICC/Getty Images

In a way, the previous two weeks of the T20 World Cup have been a bit of a lottery. You get put in, you take two extra overs to decide what a par score is, and you could be done for. That’s all it takes. That is likely what happened to Pakistan when they played USA. How do you mitigate the uncertainty, though? Dravid was asked exactly that a day before the start of India’s three Super Eight matches in five days in Barbados, Antigua and St Lucia.”We feel we’ve got the experience and the knowledge and also the ability to counteract different situations that may present themselves,” he said. “And then, of course, we are looking at things that the past games that have been played here, what have been the scores, what’s the level of swing that people are experiencing, amount of turn they’re getting, what’s the bounce. So, you look at all of these factors and you come up with some basic ideas.”But again, I think you’ve got to keep an open mind. I think that’s an important thing. You might have all the stats, you might have all the data, but on the day, sometimes conditions can be very different to what you think it is. Just because a particular ground has produced certain number of runs in the past or even 10 days prior, it can be very different because the preparation of a wicket, the weather, so much can change.”Even in the two or three days leading into a particular game, a lot can change that can force you to recalibrate and rethink. I think we will have to do that, be quick and smart and be able to do that and assess the conditions. I hope we will do that.”If New York was any indication, though, one change, though subtle, is clearly visible. India adjusted down instead of adjusting up. Err high rather than low. The top order, especially Kohli, showed enough faith in the batters to follow. It would have been easy for Kohli to play at a run a ball there but that is not his role. That seems to be the back-up option, and one for someone else to take. Nothing can guarantee success in T20 knockouts but that approach, provided they can manage to retain courage and indifference towards the end result, might just hold India in better stead than on previous attempts.