Debasis Sen, Manchester: Former India cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar on Tuesday said Kohli and his boys are firm favourites to repeat the performance of 1983. It was on this day, i.e., June 25, 1983, Kapil and his boys made history at Lords, winning the Prudential Cup. Vengsarkar, who was part of that world cup winning squad, was at the Hightown Cricket Club to watch his academy boys play. The elegant batsman who has the distinction of scoring three consecutive test hundreds at Lords, spoke exclusively to Xtra Time about the chances of Virat and his boys in the tournament. Here are the excerpts:
Are you confident that Virat Kohli and his boys will lift the World Cup at Lords?
Vengsarkar: Off course I am confident. Specially the way the Indian team is playing I am sure Virat and his boys will lift the cup at the Lords.
What has impressed you the most about the performance of the Indian team so far?
Vengsarkar: I think the batting ability, as well as the fast bowlers, specially has been impressive. The two spinners have been bowling in tandem in the middle overs which is very crucial for any team.
Who do you reckon will give Team India a run for their money as far as winning the tournament is concerned?
Vengsarkar: It is very difficult to say as to who will be in the finals at Lords. England has lost two games, Australia also lost against India. So I think it is going to be very tough to predict the two finalists. You cannot rule out New Zealand as well, I think they can be the dark horse of the tournament.
Are you impressed with the way Virat has been captaining the side?
Vengsarkar: Oh yes, absolutely brilliant. I think he (Virat) is improving as a captain by each outing. His batting at the moment, I think he is the best batsman at the moment along with Rohit (Sharma). He is also batting extremely well.
How do you rate the current bowling particularly the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami?
Vengsarkar: Well they are bowling extremely well. They are both experienced bowlers and Bumrah off course is quick. He has got excellent Yorkers and more variations than most bowlers in the world at the moment. Shami bowled superbly in the last match against Afghanistan. Then you have Bhuvneshwar Kumar as well. And then you have a Hardik Pandya as well as a backup bowler. So overall it is a very good attack I would say.
Would you say the match against Afghanistan was a wakeup call for the Indian team?
Vengsarkar: Every match is important, not just against Afghanistan. They (Afghans) played very well against India. But we were too strong in each department. I hope they (India) continue with the same momentum until the final at Lords.
The 1983 team were loaded with excellent all-rounders. Can the likes of Hardik Pandya and Vijay Shankar play a similar role?
Vengsarkar: Yes, I think they are excellent all-rounders. Both have done well in recent times. Hardik is bowling really well along with his batting. Vijay Shankar did an excellent job in the high-pressure game against Pakistan. He showed good temperament.
There are talks about drafting Rishabh Pant into the playing XI. What is your take on Pant?
Vengsarkar: He (Rishabh) is a good player no doubt. He did very well in the IPL also. He had scored a hundred in the test match he played here last year. So he has got a lot of potentials. But his time will come as Dhoni is still the most experienced player and an integral part of the team. And as we all know he is a match winner. Rishabh Pant will have to wait for his opportunity.
Did you notice any flaws with this team (if any) so far in the tournament?
Vengsarkar: Well I don’t see any flaws to be honest except may be with the batsman who can bat at No.4. That is the only area that quickly needs to be addressed. Apart from that I do not see any flaws with this team.
Lastly your message to Virat and his boys?
Vengsarkar: Every match is an important match. The way they (Virat and his boys) are playing is brilliant. They should keep on playing the same way and I am sure they will lift the cup.