Former Indian cricketer Ambati Rayudu praised the positive atmosphere in the Indian team ahead of their T20 World Cup semifinal against England. However, Rayudu was present to watch the practice session of the players in Guyana on Wednesday and he was happy with whatever he saw.
Speaking on Star Sports, he said: “There’s a brilliant atmosphere in the Indian team. Everyone is quiet and composed. I think they are brilliantly prepared. Rohit has been calm as well and knows his role as well as that of others in the team. Whatever is controllable, they are controlling it brilliantly. The uncontrollable is a luck which ofcourse they will need. But I feel luck will favor India because of their selfless cricket.”
However, Rayudu had gotten an opportunity to speak to Rohit Sharma while he was addressing the press. He was satisfied with the answers
he got and lauded Rohit for creating a positive and secure dressing room atmosphere as well. Ambati Rayudu also shared that Virat Kohli’s practice session he watched closely on Wednesday and he was impressed with how well the star batter was timing the ball as well.
“The way he (Kohli) was hitting the ball and reading the length of the bowlers, especially the spinners, it just feels like a matter of time before he gets a big score. Just because he didn’t score runs doesn’t mean he is not in form. He just needs luck to go his way and I think the prayers of billions will make it happen. That was the turning point I feel in Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. That game against England, he felt we scored below par and that’s when he decided this is not the way to play. We need to play a lot more aggressively. From then on, there’s been a very conscious effort to bat differently,” he stated.
Meanwhile, while speaking in a video posted by the ICC on Instagram, Dinesh Karthik praised Rohit Sharma’s captaincy and turning point as well. He shared how Rohit wanted the team to play an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket as well.
“What has been so impressive so far in the last two World Cups, the 50-over World Cup and the T20 World Cup that’s happening, is the intent with the bat, especially if they are batting first. That has been India’s biggest change. Now can they follow it in a semifinal when the game is on the line, when they know that one mistake here would mean taking the flight back home. That is the biggest challenge,” he concluded.
