00:00It's a beautiful day here in Hyderabad as we await the second test match between India and West Indies and
00:06I've got Sunil Kavaskar and Ian Bishop besides me. In fact, Sonny, if I could ask you, two years ago,
00:13almost to the day, what were you doing?
00:15Good morning, my dear. Good morning, Besh. Yes, two years ago, I presented Virat.
00:19I've won one, wrong one, Sonny, that first test.
00:22Four consecutive test victories here at this venue, invigorated after their biggest win in test cricket against a side that
00:30have not beaten them in 16 years.
00:34Let's find out what's on the show.
00:36Now, of course, the number one test side in the world does need to be wary because there are a
00:40couple of big favorites that are expected to be back for the West Indies.
00:44However, with the ODI squad just having been announced, we follow the blues to see how Team India prepared for
00:50this second test match.
00:54There you go. Team India all set for this one and we're all set here in our studios.
00:58Gentlemen, thank you so much for joining us. Kartika joins us.
01:01You just missed the little opening that we had, you know, the small exchange of words that tends to happen
01:06and that's India from this point of view.
01:08Have an opportunity to equal Australia's 10 consecutive series victories at home and they've not left us in any suspense.
01:15We've announced a 12-month squad already. Same to be expected. So no surprises there, Sonny.
01:20No surprises. 70% of the wickets have gone to the spinner. So we could expect the three to play
01:26again.
01:27But a word on Shardul Thakar here, you know, he's kind of been traveling with the team for a long
01:30time, whether it's in whites, whether it's in colors as well.
01:34Great opportunity.
01:35It's a great audition as Team India travel overseas. You need as many wares as possible.
01:39But look, every time we speak of the captain, King Kohli, Virat Kohli, he just keeps on accumulating the numbers,
01:45adding chapters to the history book.
01:47Here are the latest milestones that King Kohli has achieved.
01:51Milestones, you know, you continue your scrapbooks.
01:53But the team man aspect where 100 is not enough because, you know, you want to pitch those big totals,
01:58you want to get those 500s or 600s.
02:00100 is not enough. I think there's a lot to be said with a statement like that.
02:03Look, absolutely. I think you cannot completely echo what Sanibai said and also something like comfort zone.
02:10Let's talk about KL Rahul for a second here.
02:12If you look at his past eight dismissals across formats, it's either LBW or BOL.
02:17The in-swinging delivery has troubled him.
02:19In 2018, 15 out of 16 matches, those dismissals have been to pace.
02:24What must his game plan be today?
02:29Thank you very much, Akash.
02:30Now let's talk about the West Indies here.
02:32Let's go back to what happened at Headingley, what happened at Sharjah.
02:35This is a team that can bounce back when the chips are down with some of their favourites returning today.
02:41Who are the players that Team India should be wary of?
02:44The last way to do the talking is with the bats.
02:47So we're expecting quite a contest here, aren't we?
02:49We'll take a breather on Nerulac Cricket Live.
02:51There's plenty more on the show for you today.
02:53We'll get you a picture apart and, of course, the toss coming up.
02:5770% of the wickets have fallen to Spain.
03:01In fact, 17 of the wickets in Rajgore, West Indian wickets, fell to the spinners.
03:05So to give you an idea of what the combination could be, let's have a look.
03:09Let's go to the captains for the toss.
03:11Yes, thank you very much for that, Karthik.
03:13Exactly what we expected if you win the toss, bat first in these conditions.
03:17And we did show you those visuals of Shardul Thakar getting the cap.
03:21You heard the captain himself saying, this is an opportunity, let's make the most of it.
03:24Especially if you're going to be touring overseas, you need reserves in your seamers, don't you?
03:29Absolutely.
03:29And I think perhaps for Shardul Thakar...
03:31Like that at all.
03:32In fact, Umesh Adiv needs to be bullish.
03:34He's the leader of the pack now.
03:36He is the leader of the pack and he rolls quick.
03:38A lot of this is the audition really for going overseas.
03:41But look, for Ravi Chandra and Ashwin, this is his happy hunting ground.
03:44He averages 15.
03:46He's had his career best figures.
03:47He's taken three fifers in Hyderabad.
03:50It's no surprise that when he walked in, he had a big smile on his face.
03:53Just a reminder, 428 is the average first inning scores here in Hyderabad.
03:58A quick word, Bish, on Kuldeep.
03:59You know, what a change that was.
04:01In West Indies, you won the toss.
04:03You elected to bat first on conditions that you know are favorable at the top.
04:07It's how you apply yourself.
04:08It comes down to the big weather.
04:09It comes down to a breath weather.
04:10It comes down to a Powell to just do things differently this time around.
04:13Well, they've got to remember it.
04:14When the spinners do come on, this is an intriguing battle where you have Ashwin versus Powell.
04:18It will come down to that application.
04:21And, you know, you use the word in the sense that ability.
04:24You know, you have the ability.
04:25It's down to the application.
04:27You would have had an opportunity to speak to some of these batsmen.
04:30They know very well you're going to contend with Ashwin and Jadeja and Kuldeep.
04:33Oh, look, there are a number of things.
04:35I mean, you look at the stats.
04:37A minute difference over there.
04:38That's how we like our...
04:42Thanks so much for joining us here on Nerlak Cricket Live.
04:45We're actually quite enjoying ourselves outside here in Hyderabad.
04:49Darren Ganga with me.
04:50And first and foremost, all hail the mighty Sundar Gavaskar.
04:53Absolutely take it.
04:54But, yeah, first and foremost, it's worked out exactly the way that you expected it to.
04:58Well, that's exactly right.
04:59I mean, you have a look at Kuldeep Yadav and you just look at the setup.
05:03You bring the hawk in and the big heart.
05:05That is something that Virat Kohli as a captain really appreciates.
05:08He wants to see that fearlessness.
05:10You know, in Rajkot, we showed you part one of the Mega Icons documentary,
05:14the fearlessness that makes Virat Kohli the champion that he is today.
05:18Let's take a recap of that.
05:21One of the most telling aspects of that conversation hearing from Virat Kohli
05:25was the impact of his childhood,
05:27how much it has affected him to be the champion that he is today.
05:30Now we bring you part two of Mega Icons.
05:33And maybe some of you Virat Kohli fans can gain a little bit of an insight
05:36as to what gives him the drive and ambition to be a world beater.
05:42The one thing that I've taken away from that is Virat Kohli's ability
05:45to just be able to tune everything else.
05:47It really is an extraordinary life skill.
05:50Look, on that note, we're going to take a breather here on Nerulak Cricket Life.
05:52When we come back, we've got a masterclass from Brett Lee
05:54and we continue to build up to the post-match session.
05:57Stay with us.
05:59Thank you so much, Binga.
06:01Just kind of puts things into perspective as to how Team India,
06:03the management across the formats,
06:05are trying to manage the workload for the fastballers.
06:08Shami rested for this, which means it gave an opportunity
06:10for Shardul Thakar to make his debut.
06:12Now, I'll show you the happen, Darren.
06:14You would know that for West Indies, they're made a lot of times
06:17against test-playing nations just about 29.
06:19So how do you consolidate and get through what is still good conditions to bat?
06:24I think it'll be two wickets as well for two wickets.
06:28Try and take advantage of the fact that you didn't have Shardul
06:30and also you're putting Omesh under a little bit of pressure as well, really.
06:34I think that's also the key here because, yes,
06:36you do have the spinners to contend with,
06:37but you can put India's seamers under a touch of pressure.
06:41Thanks so much for joining us here on Nerulac Cricket Live,
06:43a dramatically different session, wasn't it, that one?
06:46And I just feel for Rustin Chase,
06:50too away from what would have been a hard-earned century,
06:53a second against India.
06:54But that's what happens sometimes in this brilliant game, isn't it?
06:58And he's obviously been there, done that,
07:00before he understands that this is what it takes.
07:03That process, that's why he really is an axe ticket player of the day.
07:08In 2017, as those figures will show you,
07:11he's now the highest-run scorer for West Indies currently.
07:14He's giving you vintage West Indies vibes as well,
07:17with the cap and the beard.
07:19I mean, it's, you know, it's drawing those.
07:21And Chase have now shared three-century partnerships
07:24with the seventh wicket and makes it the only pair in test cricket
07:27that have done that.
07:28Two of those have come against India.
07:30Yes, sometimes you fancy a few sides, and look, and all...
07:34At that point, but I understand what you're trying to say,
07:36which brings the question whether you want to see
07:39Jason Holder batting higher up.
07:40That is what I'm going to ask Bish when we come back after this.
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