Debasis Sen, Manchester: Virat Kohli led Indian cricket team is on a role in England as they are still unbeaten in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup as they have won four out of five matches (one was washed out) . Former Indian cricketer Farokh Engineer talked exclusively with www.xtratime.in about India’s performance so far, Virat Kohli’s leadership, MS Dhoni and other aspects of the game. Here goes the full interview:
XT: India favourites against West Indies?
Farokh: Yeah certainly are favourites, they are a very good side and are playing very good cricket. We got the World’s best fast bowling attack, we have got the best spin attack and we have got the best batsmen. Right now the World’s best bowler is Jasprit Bumrah and we have got him at the moment as well so all in all I think we have a very good side and I think we should win.
XT: Impressive thing about the Indian team?
Farokh: India team is all about full of confidence, maybe a little bit over confident as we were against Afghanistan. That’s not the way to be.
XT: Where would you play Rishabh in this team?
Farokh: Good people like Bhubaneswar Kumar is injured and Shami came in his place. He did so well. So I mean Shami proved he is an excellent bowler. So it’s a good problem to have. In case we have injury and all we have a good back up which is strength of a successful side and India are outstanding team in this tournament. For me India is the best team in the competition. We should win because we have best elements of everything in the game but who has the greater luck on the day , the greater desire to win. You can never count Australia out. They are very strong. Their fielding is tremendous so is New Zealand .Kane Williamson is a World Class batsman and anyone can win. I think India, England,New Zealand, Australia will be the semi finalist. England,New Zealand, Australia are very good team and India are very very good team as well. I would like my country to lift the cup.
XT: Talking about Mahendra Singh Dhoni bit of criticism over his batting against Afghanistan last match in Southampton. What is your take on Dhoni?
Farokh: He is been doing of late, I mean once you expect a guy to come in Boom Boom hit sixes all over the parks. You expect he will do it all the time. He is a human after all. He tried to learn to pace his innings and I think he is bit defensive than before and there is no place for defensive batsman here in limited overs cricket. You got to attack but he is a very clever player, he takes singles. If he gets a loose ball he will hit it out of the ground but he is not the Dhoni we used to know. Everybody has high pick and all. Dhoni is certainly not on his peak but let’s hope he is still good enough to win the matches for India. He certainly should be in the team all the time.
XT: Are you impressed the way Virat led the team in World Cup?
Farokh: Very very impressed. Virat is a lovely boy as well. He is very presuming and his captaincy is improving all the time. His thinking, he has his heart on his sleeve. He is so patriotic and he is so passionate about the game. We need a captain like that who leads from the front. A general leads his troops from the front that’s what Virat does. Extremely good captain. So we got the best of everything. So why shouldn’t India lift the cup?
XT: Talking about captaincy great captains obviously we had captains like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni. Where you do rate Virat this moment?
Farokh: You are forgetting Farokh Engeneer(smile). The thing is everyone has had his day and it is Virat’s day at the moment. So let’s concentrate on him. Let’s not start comparing it’s difficult to compare. Different eras and all that but Virat is doing an excellent job with the Indian team and I hope he continue it for the years to come.