India’s Adaptability Is Its Biggest Strength, Says Batting Coach Vikram Rathour

As India prepares for its second match in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, batting coach Vikram Rathour emphasizes that the team’s greatest strength lies in its adaptability to different playing conditions. The tournament features matches in nine different venues across the country, presenting various pitch and weather conditions.

“I think that is the biggest advantage we have. We have the personnel to play on different surfaces. We can go with three seamers, all-rounders, or three very good spinners in the team, and we have a batting unit that can adapt and perform in any condition.”

“At the moment, I think we are doing well as far as the team is concerned; everybody is fit. Hopefully (Shubman) Gill will be back in the mix soon. So, no concerns. We understand that it’s nine different venues and nine different wickets. But the strength of this team is adaptability. I think we can adapt really well,” said Rathour during the pre-match press conference.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi recently witnessed a record-breaking high-scoring match, with South Africa amassing 428-5 against Sri Lanka, resulting in a total of 754 runs scored in just 569 balls—the highest score in ODI World Cup history. With the small boundaries and fast outfield in Delhi, Rathour believes that Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan must aim for a strong start with the bat.

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Kishan, who opened in Gill’s absence in Chennai, fell for a duck while playing a rash shot. Rathour stated that Kishan’s role as an opener is not new, and he has opened in the past, so there was no specific discussion about his position. “He understands the situation,” Rathour explained.

When asked if the team was instructed to take their time while batting, Rathour noted that the experienced batting unit knows how to play in this format, and no specific message was required. “We are giving them the freedom to play the way they want to play. Everyone has their own way, and we trust that if they back themselves, we will achieve our goals,” he added.

Rathour also emphasized that India is focused on countering the entire Afghanistan team, not just specific players. “We’re not looking at players’ names. We are looking to do our things right. We are trying to focus on the process, and we have the belief that the team we have, if we can do our things right and just focus on the process and not worry about the result, we’ll achieve what we are trying to achieve.”

Regarding the inclusion of Suryakumar Yadav in the playing eleven, Rathour mentioned that if there is a situation where the team feels Suryakumar should play, they will definitely include him. He emphasized the need to back all players given the opportunity.

Finally, Rathour confirmed that KL Rahul will continue to bat at number five, as he has been performing exceptionally well in that position, with Shreyas Iyer performing effectively at number four.