00:00For once, I could see where Rohit Sharma loses temper. I wouldn't say the word temper, but he was not happy about what's going on.
00:08Both the bowlers let him down today. Both the fast bowlers. One point for 54 or 53 and one for 44.
00:13This might be crucial if you come across a side like Afghanistan where it's dangerous.
00:17Hello and welcome to Golf News Straight Back. It was match number four tonight in the Asia Cup between India and Hong Kong.
00:32India won the match by 40 runs. Mr Cricket UAE Anish Sajjan is here. Anish, what did you make of the match tonight?
00:40Thank you, Imran. Hello, Shyam and hello to all the lovely people of Golf News.
00:44Well, if I have to be very honest, even though the match must have looked that India won it in the end by 40-odd runs,
00:51but you have to give credit to Hong Kong that they did not give it easily except for that swashblossoming knock from Surya Kumar in the end.
00:58And mind you, both Avesh and India's other bowler Ashdeep Singh were off target today. Thankfully, that innings from Surya saved India's blushes.
01:08Anish, it was a chance for the likes of KL Rahul, Virat Kohli to get some much-needed runs on the board.
01:14Kohli did that. He did. He got 59 not out. How important was that knock for his confidence?
01:19Very important, Imran. Even the first innings knock against Pakistan, even though he must have scored 33, it was, I would say, a perfectly imperfect innings.
01:29And today, again, he was slow off the blocks. But that's what Virat Kohli is. He cannot just go bang-bang.
01:36And wickets, where it is slow, you can't just hit across the line. He had to make that adjustment.
01:43And thankfully, he did not give it away like last time. He got some runs.
01:48And also, I would say, Rahul's innings, even though a bit scratchy, time spent in the middle will help them as the tournament progresses.
01:56Shyam, Rahul never really got going. He went for 36. What does he need to do to get himself out of this lean patch that he's currently suffering?
02:07Like Anish said, he needs time in the middle. And he's not timing the ball well, but he played a couple of pick-up shots quite well.
02:15Which means he's around there, but he needs some more time in the middle to get going, to get some kind of fluency.
02:22Anish, Hong Kong kept India quite quiet after the six overs. They only had, I think, 44 runs, one wicket down.
02:32And after 10 overs, they were, I think, only on 70 runs. How were you feeling at that halfway mark? Were you a bit concerned?
02:40I will be very honest, not concerned. Because India had not lost too many wickets.
02:45If India had lost too many wickets, like the Sri Lankans and Bangladesh lost to Afghanistan,
02:51then they would have been concerned because the wicket was not that easy.
02:54You have to give credit to Hong Kong. They did not give easy balls.
02:57Bearing that fourth over bowl by, I think, one of the fast bowlers, which went for 20 runs, they had kept the leash.
03:04And then in the end, Surya Kumar Yadav played that 360-degree knock, which makes it difficult for bowlers where to bowl.
03:12And they have to alter their lines, and that makes it easy.
03:15So, innings of Surya Kumar Yadav was the difference of India scoring 160 and 190.
03:20Yeah, Shyam, he has mentioned Yadav there. I think that blistering knock changed the game.
03:25He got that 68 of, I think, just 26 balls.
03:28If it was not for him, do you think it is fair to say that India might have been in some trouble?
03:34Maybe. But I think India has enough experience to get out of that.
03:39But still, that made the difference between an easy win and a tough finish.
03:49In the end, I guess India might have squeaked through.
03:53But it won't be as easy as what it seemed later in the day.
03:57Because at no point did Hong Kong look like chasing the score.
04:03In fact, Anish, that last five hours of the game, India got 78 runs.
04:07Ultimately, that's probably where Hong Kong lost the match, isn't it?
04:11Very true, Imran. Well, that is where the experience comes.
04:14These boys don't get to play a lot of games.
04:17And when they come across a player like Surya or probably Pant in the future,
04:20they don't know how to bowl to such players.
04:23And then that is where the experience counts.
04:25So that was where we won the game, in the end, comfortably.
04:30But again, I'll try to emphasize on that.
04:32Both bowlers, Avesh and surprisingly even Ashdeep, couldn't find his line and length.
04:38He was bowling, actually, I would not say loose balls, but he was not knowing where to bowl.
04:43And for once, I could see where Rohit Sharma loses temper.
04:48I wouldn't say the word temper, but he was not happy about what's going on.
04:52Both the bowlers let him down, Surya. Both the fast bowlers.
04:54One point for 54 or 53 and one for 44.
04:57This might be crucial if you come across a side like Afghanistan were dangerous.
05:02Shyam, what do you think Hong Kong would have learnt about themselves tonight?
05:05You know, they don't get to play the likes of India or the best players in the world all the time.
05:10They haven't come away with a win, but they would have come away with some pride at least tonight, wouldn't they?
05:15No, there are a lot of positives for them.
05:18For one, they crossed 150.
05:20And I don't think too many sides in this tournament have crossed 150.
05:23That is a huge plus.
05:25So, I mean, especially Baba Hayat showed that he could really play some big shots.
05:30And also some bowlers like Shukla.
05:33Shukla had a very excellent spell.
05:35And two bowlers, especially Ehsan Khan and Ayush Shukla.
05:38They gave less than 30 runs in four overs.
05:41Which is incredible against a side like India, with such a power-packed batting line-up.
05:46And their fielding was not too bad either.
05:49So, lots of positives for them to take from this match.
05:53Anis, you agree with that? Lots of positives there for Hong Kong?
05:57Again, you know, you have this positive as long as you get to play more games.
06:01In the last few months, these boys have played, I think, 20-odd games.
06:04But it's against the Minos they have played.
06:08They would be happy if they get to play with India, the Pakistanis and the other nations.
06:13So that they get tested.
06:15Because when you play against the associate nations, I don't say they are not tested.
06:19But you are not up to the wall.
06:21Today, they came across Surya Kumariyadu.
06:23Next time, they might come across Anasif Ali.
06:26Or against Sri Lanka, Rajapaksha.
06:28Or against Afghanistan, you know, the Zadrans.
06:31So, this is where they will know where to bowl.
06:33And I really hope the ICC takes into account.
06:37Because you just call them to play an Asia game or a World Cup game.
06:40They need to play.
06:41Even in UAE, I want my boys to play a lot of games.
06:43So that, you know, they are up for it.
06:45Now, UAE is going to Australia.
06:47I am afraid, on the back of two defeats in Oman, they won't be prepared.
06:54I don't know how much warm-up games they will get.
06:56I know, still in Peaches, we saw how Zimbabwe is struggling against Australia.
06:59So, more games, more experience.
07:02More games needed for all these guys.
07:04Yeah, you are right.
07:05But, as long as they are learning from their mistakes,
07:08no point for them just continuing to play and making the same mistakes.
07:11Shaan, what do you think?
07:12Do you think they are going to learn as they go on?
07:14Of course.
07:15Of course.
07:16Every match is part of the learning process for them.
07:20Today, if you look at most of the plays, the shots,
07:23except, I think, Baba Hayat,
07:25most of the shots were played square of the wicket.
07:28Which means, the ball was coming faster on to them.
07:31Which means, they were not able to hit through the line.
07:35That is because of the extra speed that the Indian footballers have
07:38which they don't face in the Associated Nations tournament.
07:41That's one thing.
07:42If you go to Australia, or even South Africa, it doesn't matter.
07:46You get the extra pace and the bounce,
07:49which would be, again, something alien to them.
07:52If you go to England, the ball keeps moving around,
07:55which is again, an unfamiliar scenario for them.
07:58So, with every play and every match and everywhere they go,
08:02they get to learn new things.
08:04They learn to adapt and adjust their technique accordingly.
08:07Okay.
08:08From what you've seen of India so far in the tournament,
08:11do you fancy their chances of retaining the Asia Cup?
08:14Where do you think they need to improve?
08:17To me or to Anis?
08:19It's Shyam to you.
08:20You go, Shyam.
08:21And Anis can have a think and answer.
08:24Yeah.
08:25I mean, I wouldn't read too much into this.
08:27Because if you look at the India-Arrested Hardik Pandya,
08:30which was one of the best players in the previous match.
08:34So, they didn't go full tilt, I would say, in that department.
08:37Then also, this gives them an opportunity to test.
08:40If you look at Avesh Khan,
08:42frankly, I'm not happy with the way he's bowling
08:45in the Pakistan match.
08:47Or today, it was even worse.
08:49So, that is one area where India needs to look at seriously.
08:53The third seamer is a serious problem.
08:55And they need to have a ready-made solution for that.
09:00I mean, with Ashdeep, I would say,
09:03it could have been an off-day for him.
09:05Because in the previous match, he had bowled excellently.
09:07And this young lad, he's been bowling superbly.
09:11So, again, it's a part of his learning curve.
09:15Spinners bowled excellently.
09:17So, the bowling department looks okay,
09:19except barring the third seamer.
09:22Batting, I think, is still...
09:24We're still taking its own time, coming into their own.
09:28I'm glad they're giving time to Rahul to get into the groove.
09:30Because once Rahul gets into the groove,
09:32he can be a very good asset.
09:34But the rest of the things, I think,
09:36is falling into place.
09:38But Rahul, I think he needs to get out of his rut
09:41and play more aggressive cricket.
09:43But it's like T20,
09:45they're all talking about upping the tempo
09:47right from the start.
09:49But if Rahul is going to play like this,
09:51no, I think then we'll have to look at other options.
09:53Anis, is it falling into place for India?
09:57I just want to add to Shyam's line.
09:59I remember before the Asia Cup started,
10:01there was that big noise made
10:03by the Indians, especially the captain
10:05that we're going to play fearless cricket.
10:07And I'm afraid in both the matches,
10:09I couldn't see the fearless cricket.
10:11They were giving time.
10:13So, it's gone out the window
10:15or they're giving chance and opportunity
10:17for Rahul and Virat to get into their groove.
10:19We'll have to wait and watch.
10:21Honestly, this was not fearless cricket.
10:23This was a proper street smart cricket,
10:25but I'm the old school, so I prefer
10:27the way they played this way.
10:29Old school rules.
10:31There's a must-win game tomorrow
10:33between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
10:35in Group B. The winners will take
10:37the second spot in the Super 4.
10:39Who's it going to be, Anis? Who's going to win tomorrow?
10:41As I've always mentioned,
10:43if I start predicting like this,
10:45I'll become a millionaire
10:47and say that this team is going to win
10:49but I'll fancy Sri Lanka
10:51to upset Bangladesh.
10:54I'm using the word upset
10:56because both are on the same level
10:58but Bangladesh is still coming on the back
11:00of Zimbabwe's series loss.
11:02You never know with Sri Lanka,
11:04they're also having a rough time.
11:06What Angelo Matthews told me today
11:08is that they need to have a proper template
11:10on how to go about the innings.
11:12Like if the Dubai wicket is testing,
11:14they need to not lose wickets in the powerplay.
11:16So, the team which keeps its head in the powerplay
11:18I feel is going to win.
11:20But there are no ifs and buts.
11:23It's a tough call, Imran
11:25because both teams
11:27are pretty badly placed.
11:29Their past record doesn't
11:31all go well.
11:33It's tough to make a call here
11:35but Sri Lanka seems to have a better
11:37in terms of experience
11:39they have
11:41a better quality in the side
11:43but the biggest asset
11:45for Bangladesh is
11:47their fighting spirit. They fight like tigers.
11:49So, I would go with
11:51Bangladesh tomorrow.
11:53They need to play like tigers too.
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