Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has offered strategic advice to Indian captain Rohit Sharma ahead of their match against Pakistan, emphasizing the need for caution when facing Pakistan’s pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. Hayden’s concern stems from Rohit’s dismissal during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE when Afridi bowled a searing yorker that outfoxed the Indian opener. That loss had a lasting impact on India’s campaign in the tournament.
Reflecting on the incident, Hayden urged Rohit to adopt a conservative approach against Afridi and advised, “You’ve got to be conservative against Shaheen Afridi. Remember back to the (T20) World Cup (in the UAE in 2021). Shaheen was able to take early wickets. We’ll never forget that ball that he bowled to Rohit Sharma, so a little bit of caution against Shaheen Afridi. If it’s swinging, look to play out those first three overs.”
Regarding the 2021 match, Virat Kohli, who led the team, managed to score a vital 57 runs, batting at his usual No. 3 position. Hayden acknowledged that the upcoming game between the arch-rivals is one of the most intense contests in world cricket. He also highlighted the challenge of dealing with the extra bounce generated by bowlers like Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah.
“India is playing against Pakistan’s pace trio. This is one of the spiciest competitions on the planet. We’ve got Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem (Shah). Three very different types of bowlers and unique bowlers, which require unique plans from Team India. Firstly, the conditions here in Kandy tend to have quite a lot of bounce, so you’ve got to watch that out, especially Haris Rauf. He’ll want to really hustle in and hit the top of off stump. And I think with Naseem, even though he will shape the ball, Pakistan can be in a position to advance forward with India managing to take them out of play by aggressive plays against someone like Naseem,” Hayden analyzed.
Hayden suggested that putting early pressure on Naseem Shah could give India an advantage. He concluded with optimism for Team India, stating, “Put him (Naseem) under pressure, feel like you are in front of the game. All in all, though, I think it’s going to be Team India that’s going to win. I think they’ve got a deeper, classier batting line-up, and I think they’ve got form on the board as well.”
Post Your Comments