• News
  • Sports News
  • Back-to-back games for India is hard to understand: Sunil Gavaskar
This story is from September 18, 2018

Back-to-back games for India is hard to understand: Sunil Gavaskar

India start their campaign to win not just the Asia Cup but also the fans they have lost after the recent tour of England. The high expectations from the English tour were belied and so some disenchantment that has crept in.
Back-to-back games for India is hard to understand: Sunil Gavaskar
Indian cricketers during a practice session in Dubai. (PTI Photo)
Key Highlights
  • India will meet Hong Kong in Dubai on Tuesday to tune up for the big match against Pakistan.
  • India and Pakistan are facing each other for the first time in the United Arab Emirates since 2006.
  • India have won the event six times, while Pakistan have been champions twice.
India start their campaign to win not just the Asia Cup but also the fans they have lost after the recent tour of England. The high expectations from the English tour were belied and so some disenchantment that has crept in. A solid winning performance in the Asia Cup will make up greatly for that and win back those who were ready to turn their backs on India cricket.
India's first game against Hong Kong will be a nice warmup for the sterner battle the next day against Pakistan.
How the organisers scheduled two back-to-back games for India - with the second game being against Pakistan - is hard to understand, but that's the way it is. Hong Kong have got to the Emirates after a hard-fought qualifying event, beating some other fancied associate teams in the bargain. They were overwhelmed by Pakistan in their first game and will now be looking to better their efforts against India.
India have a great mix of youth and experience and their skipper Rohit Sharma loves the 50-over format and will look to add a couple of tons to his record. He is fortunate to have MS Dhoni besides him to guide him during tough times. Dhoni's experience is a priceless commodity that's impossible to quantify and his guidance of the young spinners is legendary.
India's batting is generally the star attraction but this time around the variety they have in their bowling is also worth going miles to see. The two wrist spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, in their different ways pick wickets regularly and then the way they rush to congratulate each other is reminiscent of the great spin quartet of the 70s, who also took great delight in each other's success.
Normally India would like to bat first to give their batsmen valuable game time, but because they play Pakistan the very next day, they would like to finish the game early and reserve energy for that much-anticipated encounter. To do that they would have to win the toss and so it will be interesting to see if Rohit Sharma has better luck than Virat Kohli.
Gavaskar

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA