India’s T20 World Cup campaign got off to a shaky start with a disappointing loss against New Zealand in their opening match. The Indian bowlers struggled to contain the Kiwi batters, with Deepti Sharma, a usually reliable spin bowler, having an off day, conceding a hefty 45 runs without taking a wicket. This marked her second-worst bowling performance in the format.
Despite the setback, bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi exudes confidence, declaring that the team is ready for a fresh start against Pakistan in their next encounter. “The next game is a fresh opportunity for us. The girls have gone through the grind and have been through this (similar results) before. We only tell them to stay strong, stay united and believe in our abilities and plans,” Salvi said.
Addressing concerns about India’s fielding performance, which saw crucial runs leaked in the outer circle, Salvi defended his team. “We have been working on it. If you see the results, the errors are lesser than what it was earlier. So there has been a lot of improvement in that aspect. If you see the way we fielded yesterday, barring a few moments and a couple of deliveries, the rest of the time the speed of the girls was superb, the angle cutting was nice and the way they were moving across the field, that was great.”
Salvi also clarified the reduced role of Pooja Vastrakar, who bowled just one over against New Zealand and was seen with a taped ankle. He allayed concerns about an injury, attributing her reduced involvement to the team’s strategy of employing a six-bowler unit. “When we go with a six-bowler unit, it’s bound to happen that one odd bowler will be underbowled. Nothing to worry about.”
As India gears up for the crucial encounter against Pakistan, the team will be hoping to bounce back and find their rhythm, determined to prove their mettle on the world stage.
