Champions Trophy: Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh said that India should try and put around 280-300 runs on the board while batting first to put pressure on the opposition on the slow and low pitches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
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00:00Hello and welcome, we're bringing to you Battle of Champions, our special on the Champions
00:12Trophy, live from Ground Zero, this is the Dubai International Stadium, where I'm coming
00:18to you live from behind me, the famous Dubai skyline, of course, but today was the day
00:24where the Indian team, their batters were hitting the skyline, really high score, that
00:30is how the graph was for Indian batters, especially two of them in Shubman Gill and KL Rao, Shubman
00:36Gill, of course, the star for India with a century's 8th ODI 100, we'll of course be
00:41talking about Shubman Gill's performance, then there was Mohammad Shamim making a return
00:46from injury, picking up a 5 wicket haul, here's also a reminder that we'll be shortly joined
00:52by our cricket analyst, Harbhajan Singh, live on India Today, and we'll try and pick his
00:57brains as to what is it that India has achieved in this encounter, because remember, going
01:02forward, tougher tests await the Indian team, you've got Pakistan up next, right after that
01:07you've got New Zealand to face, but India have started on a good note, you needed a
01:11win to start the tournament with, and that's exactly what the Indian team has managed,
01:17a convincing win might I add, with 6 wickets to spare and plenty of balls to spare as well,
01:23it was a below par total, 228, that the Bangladesh team had set India to chase, and India did
01:29it with a lot of ease, we'll bring opinions from Harbhajan Singh, we'll try and listen
01:35in to the performers of the match as well, but first, here are the highlights from that
01:40India Bangladesh encounter.
02:11Hardik Pandya 2, dropped an easy one.
02:24Hridoy and Jaquir Ali bailed the team out of trouble with a 154 run partnership.
02:35Hridoy, going on to smash his maiden ODI turn.
02:41However, Bangladesh's late surge wilted as Shami struck at the death, completing his
02:49fifer as Bangladesh folded for 228.
03:01In response, India were off to a blazing start with captain Rohit Sharma and Shubh Mandil
03:06making full use of the early field restrictions.
03:11The scoreboard kept ticking for the Indian team, but a few wickets were lost in ensuring
03:19the same, including the big ones of Kohli and Iyer.
03:30Shubh Mandil's century paved the way for a comfortable win for the Indian team, who were
03:35off to a winning start in the Champions Trophy.
03:40Sports Bureau, India Today.
04:10Were you nervous at any point or do you think India always had this match under control?
04:40You look to do that, improve your side going forward and hopefully you play better than
04:46this and get even better result than what you have got today.
04:50I certainly believe that after getting them out for 220 odd, I believe it was a chaseable score.
04:58And even in my previous interview with you Nikhil, I mentioned anything above 270, 280
05:05will be a difficult kind of a target to chase on such pitch because I have seen few matches
05:12here in Dubai, I was part of the broadcasting team.
05:15This pitch becomes slower and slower.
05:18One lesson if they have to learn from today's match, I believe it's a bad first wicket.
05:24If you happen to win the toss again, bad first, put 280, 300 odd runs on the board,
05:31then you have a quality spinner in your lineup.
05:33You can thrash all the other teams.
05:36I don't think they are as good teams as the Indian team is.
05:40Because if you see the depth of Indian team, nobody can match that kind of depth in all the departments.
05:48So I believe they won this game, which was a pressured game.
05:51First game is always a tough one.
05:53But now going forward, they know the condition.
05:55They will adjust themselves and play better cricket than what they played today.
06:01Convincingly, when you are looking forward, probably you will get that as well against Pakistan.
06:10That's very interesting, Harbhajan.
06:11You speak about this is a pitch where you win the toss, you bat first.
06:15I think Indian team has learned their lesson not just from this match.
06:19I heard from Rohit Sharma at the toss, he had said that even for this match, they were ready.
06:23If they had won the toss, they would have batted first.
06:25That's the kind of pitch that you are getting in Dubai.
06:28Let's talk about the Indian batting.
06:30We have to start with Shubman Gill.
06:32I know you are a big fan of Shubman and his batting.
06:35Today, tough situation. He really stepped up.
06:38But I have a tougher question for you.
06:40This is the 8th ODI 100, if I am not mistaken.
06:43The man has got a 200 also in ODI cricket.
06:45Is it the best ODI knock that you have seen from Shubman?
06:50Keeping in mind the conditions that were there in Dubai.
06:54This is a learning inning.
06:56What I will say in my words for Shubman Gill.
06:59I have seen him bat in different situations on different pitches.
07:04I think he has got a very mature head on his shoulder.
07:08He understands his game.
07:10This format, I have said earlier also, suits him better than T20 format.
07:16He can take his time.
07:18He is a proper, proper player.
07:20Once he is set.
07:21Once he crosses 30-40 or runs.
07:23He just don't throw away his wicket.
07:25Because he plays normal cricket.
07:27Simple cricket. Just basic cricket.
07:29That's what makes him a special player.
07:32I am still yet to see his best performances going forward.
07:38He has got a lot of years for India.
07:40This is just one of those learning curve.
07:43This inning will obviously boost him as a player.
07:46His confidence.
07:47It will make him a better player.
07:49I know he has got a lot of capabilities.
07:53He is more capable of winning big games.
07:56Which we will see him winning in future for India.
08:04That's right.
08:05It's a nice word that Harbhajan uses.
08:07This is a learning sort of an inning for Shubman Gill.
08:10He has seen him play in every possible condition.
08:13I will try to put another tough question.
08:15I was really confused after this.
08:18Who would I have given the man of the match to?
08:20I know Shubman has won it.
08:21I think there is good enough reason for Shubman to win it.
08:24Then there is Murmud Shami with a fifer.
08:26In my head, I was 50-50.
08:29Who do I give it to?
08:30But if you are the one who is going to be picking the man of the match.
08:33Who would you have gone with?
08:34I think I would go with...
08:38It's very hard.
08:41It wasn't that easy wicket to bat also.
08:44Somebody needed to play that kind of inning.
08:46What Shubman played.
08:48By securing that win.
08:51I think what Shami did up front was amazing.
08:55Putting the brakes on their scoring done.
08:59By taking those important wickets up front.
09:01I think that was the key for me in this game.
09:04I think if India took those chances.
09:08Didn't drop too many catches.
09:11They could have put Bangladesh out for 160-odd runs.
09:15But nevertheless, they scored way too many.
09:19After getting five wickets of Bangladesh early on.
09:23So I would have given it to Muhammad Shami.
09:26Simply for a reason.
09:27One, he is making a comeback.
09:29And the impact he left straight away from ball one.
09:33Till the last over he bowled.
09:36He showed the world that he was missing majorly in Australia.
10:06And picked up those three crucial wickets to ensure.
10:08That they finish with a below par total.
10:10Plenty to come with Harbhajan Singh.
10:12And I want to talk about Muhammad Shami a bit more.
10:14But before that, let's take a look at his performance.
10:17And why is it that we are going gaga over Muhammad Shami's performance.
10:20One is the fact that Jasprit Bumrah.
10:22Your leader of the attack is missing.
10:24That's why you wanted Muhammad Shami to step in.
10:26And secondly, if you take a look at Muhammad Shami's career graph.
10:30He is coming from an injury.
10:31We weren't 100% sure whether he will be at his best.
10:34And come the first match of the tournament.
10:36He has shown you that he still got it.
10:38Here's a look at how Muhammad Shami was the start today.
10:44In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
10:46The job of leading the Indian bowling lineup.
10:48Lied on Muhammad Shami.
10:52He was drafted into the Indian team on the back of a long injury layoff.
10:55And limited game time under his belt.
10:58But Shami was determined to put on the blue jersey.
11:03Will I be able to walk without limping?
11:05Or will I be able to play in those two months?
11:10You won't believe.
11:12I have never been so scared in my life.
11:14I was so scared of stepping there.
11:16It felt like a new life was starting.
11:19I had to walk like a child.
11:22Thinking that there might be a problem with the operation.
11:26The confidence and the motivation.
11:30That's what drives us forward.
11:32The passion to play for the country.
11:35The passion to play for the country.
11:37That's what drives us forward.
11:47All questions lurking around his fitness and rhythm.
11:50Were put to rest in the very first over.
11:54As he gave India their first wicket of the Champions Trophy.
12:00He struck once more.
12:01This time with a wicket of Mehdi Hassan Miraj.
12:08There were shades of his brilliance from the 2023 World Cup.
12:11As Shami went on to complete his fight for.
12:19Finishing as India's best bowler.
12:21And breaking plenty of records.
12:25They call him India's Mr. ICC for a reason.
12:28With 60 wickets.
12:30Shami has now picked up the most wickets.
12:32By an Indian bowler in ICC ODI competitions.
12:37His greatness goes far beyond the Indian shows.
12:40He is now the fastest bowler in the history of the game.
12:43To get to 200 ODI wickets.
12:45By number of balls bowled.
12:48Taking 114 fewer balls than the next man in line.
12:56Playing his first Champions Trophy match ever.
12:59Shami has hit the ground running.
13:01And the Indian fan will hope.
13:03That he goes from strength to strength.
13:05As the tournament wears on.
13:09Sports Bureau, India Today.
13:18Mohammad Shami picking up a fiver for the Indian team.
13:20Ensuring that Bangladesh don't go beyond the 228 run.
13:24Mark Harbhajan Singh still live with us.
13:27Harbhajan, in the context of India's campaign here.
13:30At the Champions Trophy.
13:32How important was it for Mohammad Shami to fire?
13:35Because we had seen him in the England series.
13:37Played I think two T20Is.
13:39Then two ODIs.
13:41Wasn't looking 100% in terms of his fitness.
13:43Though the seam position was always there.
13:45But now he plays the first match.
13:47What do you think will it impact the Indian team on a whole?
13:51That Shami is back into form.
13:55Obviously a massive, massive role he's got now.
13:58Since Bumrah is not there.
14:00He's always been a champion bowler for Team India.
14:03Whether Bumrah was bowling from the other end.
14:06Or anybody else.
14:10He's got amazing record.
14:12If you talk about him.
14:14He's got more number of wickets in ICC.
14:17Profits than any other bowler.
14:19Any other Indian bowler.
14:21I'd rather say.
14:23That goes on to show that.
14:25He's a very, very capable bowler.
14:27A match winner on his own.
14:29Simply good to have him back.
14:31I'm so happy and glad that.
14:33He's fully back to his fitness.
14:36Those two games against England.
14:38Obviously he was a bit worried about his injury.
14:41It might come back.
14:44When you're going through such pains.
14:46Only a player will be able to understand their bodies.
14:50Shami was.
14:52What we heard from him.
14:54He was so nervous.
14:56Not sure whether he'll be able to make a comeback in cricket or not.
14:59Good to have him back.
15:01Fully fit.
15:02Running in.
15:03Bowling like the way we've always seen him.
15:05Champion bowler.
15:07Taking those five wickets.
15:08Winning game for India.
15:09What else do you want from him?
15:11I wish him all the luck.
15:13Against Pakistan.
15:14I hope this form continues.
15:16Another 5-4 will be great.
15:21Okay.
15:22We're going to get to India batting as well, Harbhajan.
15:25I'm just sticking with India's bowling.
15:27Of course, Shami picks up those five wickets.
15:29What did you make of India's bowling performance in the middle overs?
15:33Do you think that's an area of concern that India might have?
15:36The middle overs.
15:3835-5 Bangladesh.
15:40As you mentioned as well, a little while earlier.
15:42160 is what you were looking that Bangladesh could be dismissed for.
15:45But they have that 154 run stand.
15:47Do India have enough wicket-takers in those middle overs?
15:54Yes, I certainly believe that Indian bowlers were right on the track.
15:59We took those catches which we dropped.
16:03I think the story would have been something else.
16:06I think we need to feel better.
16:08When you drop catches and you give chances to the opposition, this is what happens.
16:14Of course, I would actually like to see Varun Chakraborty getting into the fold.
16:20And see how you can fit him in.
16:23Playing maybe two left-arm spinners.
16:26Instead of playing two left-arm spinners, just go with one.
16:30And maybe bring Varun Chakraborty.
16:32Where people are talking about, let's get to 280, score 280, 200.
16:37Even if you score 240, you have another wicket-taker in your bowling lineup.
16:42And that's the reason you have picked him.
16:44His recent form against England was amazing.
16:48Get the best out of him.
16:51When he's bowling at his best, I think this is the kind of a tournament you want to see him perform and shine for India.
16:59And I think going forward, if India plays with the same team, which I believe they will,
17:04they need to probably take those catches.
17:07I think they were not up to the mark.
17:11The fielding wasn't up to the mark.
17:13They gave too many chances, opportunities to the batters to score those runs.
17:21Okay, interesting points that Harbhajan Singh makes there.
17:24I want to talk to him about India's batting as well.
17:27But before that, let's also listen in to the winning captain Rohit Sharma.
17:31This is Rohit Sharma's thoughts after the six-wicket win over Bangladesh in their tournament opener here at the Champions Trophy.
17:39As the game goes on, there are different emotions that come through.
17:43But you've got to be ready for everything that is thrown at us.
17:46We've been in that situation many a times before.
17:48And like I said many a times again, there's a lot of experience in that dressing room to handle that composure.
17:56When it's needed.
17:57And KL and Gill at the end was quite composed.
18:02Okay, Rohit Sharma there sounding very confident.
18:04Telling us that the game was always in control.
18:08Harbhajan, I'm going to talk to you about one man.
18:10And that is Virat Kohli.
18:12And the reason I want to pick your brains on that is that Virat is a star player.
18:17We know he's a superstar.
18:19He's gone through slumps in the past.
18:21But every time he's gone through a bad form, he's found a solution.
18:24What is really worrying now for me and for plenty of other people that I spoke to who are Indian fans,
18:30is the manner in which he's getting out.
18:32Now we saw this trend versus England.
18:35It was Adil Rashid, the leg spinner.
18:37He comes and bowls.
18:38And every time he came in, he picked up the wicket of Virat Kohli.
18:41Here too, he was looking very good.
18:43And what do Bangladesh do?
18:45They bring a leg spinner.
18:47And that's exactly what happens.
18:50He looks slightly uncomfortable and is out for the leg spinner.
18:53Do you think there is a situation now where Virat may not have answers to what the problems are?
18:59Before this, he had answers to everything.
19:01Any problem, he would find an answer.
19:03But do you think it's reached a situation where he's probably struggling to find an answer
19:07to that same old problem against leggy in white ball cricket?
19:11Well, I certainly believe that, you know, slower bowlers,
19:16leggies have given him some sort of uncomforts there, you know, while facing them.
19:23You know, he needs to obviously come up with some plan against those leggies,
19:27you know, how to tackle them, how to look to convert, you know,
19:31those dot balls into singles by taking the pressure off him.
19:35I think, you know, when the form is not there with you, you know,
19:39this is exactly what happened.
19:41You tend to take a lot more time.
19:43You tend to take, you know, more deliveries to get settled.
19:47And that's exactly what is happening with Virat Kohli.
19:49Cricket is a great leveller.
19:51And it goes on to show that no matter how big a player you are, you know,
19:55your reputation will not count.
19:57But what you do there, you intend what you show, you know,
20:01that's what will make you, you know, what you are.
20:05And of course, take you forward.
20:08And that's where I think he's getting stuck because he's taking a bit more time.
20:13I believe he needs to just back himself and play like Virat Kohli.
20:17He has got nothing to prove to anyone.
20:19He's a champion player.
20:21Even if he retires today, you know, he'll still go on to be India's legend
20:25who served India really well over the years.
20:28So I believe he just needs to enjoy his game and take, you know,
20:32that extra luggage out of his mind and bat freely.
20:36Simple as that.
20:37Today was the opportunity, I believe, where, you know,
20:40he probably wanted to get into the form, wanted to face many more balls
20:45and see, you know, get ready for the Pakistan.
20:48But that didn't happen.
20:50It was a very slow inning.
20:51And of course, against the leggies, against the spinners,
20:54we have seen him, you know, not able to rotate that strike.
20:58But we have seen Virat Kohli, you know, hitting them over cover,
21:02you know, playing that sweep as well in Australia against, you know,
21:06he needs to kind of back himself to showcase, you know,
21:11what Virat Kohli was and he can still do that job.
21:14You know, it's just a mental thing.
21:15You know, it's a mental thing which only him, only himself,
21:20you know, can help himself, you know, to get out of it.
21:25You know, Virat Kohli will be Virat Kohli.
21:28But, you know, this is where the team needs him to score runs in Pakistan
21:33or against any other team.
21:34You know, we might see him, you know, playing in the semifinal against Afghanistan
21:40where they have three quality spinners.
21:43You know, that's where Virat Kohli needs to come good.
21:45You know, he needs to start backing himself from the next game itself.
21:50You know, this is where I belong and, you know, people are there to watch him.
21:54So he's got nothing to prove.
21:55So just go out there and enjoy.
22:01I think the very important bit of what Harbhajan has just said,
22:04the operative bit is, you know, rotation of strike.
22:07We all know Virat Kohli feeds on that.
22:10If he continues to rotate strike, he is very comfortable.
22:13As soon as you choke that rotation of strike,
22:16that's where you see that panic set in
22:18and that's how teams are managing to get him out
22:21and that's exactly what you've seen against spinners as well.
22:23I'm going to take your attention, Harbhajan, to another batter now
22:26who played a very handy role.
22:2741 not out, KL Rahul.
22:29It was a tricky situation.
22:30India had lost three wickets and he comes on the crease with Shubman
22:34and gets that 41 not out.
22:36Of course, there was a drop chance there.
22:38What do you make of KL's batting position?
22:40You reckon this is fine?
22:41Akshar comes ahead of him or do you think, no, don't fidget
22:44and instead of having that panic set in, let him bat a spot higher?
22:49No, I think he's batting at right spot.
22:52If you ask KL Rahul where he would like to see him bat,
22:58he'll say one, two, three.
23:00First three position.
23:02But he's always been one of those guys
23:05who continue to fill in slots for others.
23:08He never got that opportunity like 20 games at one position.
23:12But good to see him.
23:13He's got that composed head.
23:15He's got the basic scheme.
23:17He knows what situation demands and he plays accordingly.
23:20Obviously, there was a drop catch.
23:22People talk about it.
23:23But I think he showed a lot of composure while he was batting there.
23:27It gives that dressing room, that calming effect.
23:32KL is there.
23:33He's one of those guys who plays spin really well.
23:37And when it comes to the later part, he can hit those big sixes as well.
23:41I think his batting order is just right.
23:43We don't need to do a lot of chop and changes with the batting order
23:48and try to adjust KL Rahul somewhere.
23:51And again, somebody will come down or change their position.
23:55So I think let him bat where he's batting.
23:58It's good to have someone like him.
24:00Even if you lose three, four wickets up front,
24:03he's there to kind of give you that protection, what you want.
24:08Give you that calmness in the dressing room, what you want.
24:11So KL is a quality player.
24:13Good to see him coming good for India.
24:16And maybe we'll need him in bigger stage as well.
24:19It's good to see his scoring runs.
24:22And he's getting those runs in ease.
24:26Not like struggling and getting runs.
24:29The moment he walked in, you could see his body language.
24:32You know that singles were on.
24:34He was not getting stuck.
24:36So that's where it shows that intent was there.
24:40So lovely to have him back.
24:43Obviously, at that number, it's never going to be easy.
24:47But he's a quality player.
25:12After that is New Zealand.
25:14So for all of that, build up to those games,
25:17as well as analysis, you know your destination.
25:19It is India today.
25:20Harbhajan Singh will be joining us.
25:22Thank you, Bhaji, for speaking to us tonight.
25:24But here's a reminder to our viewers.
25:26If you are craving for more news,
25:28apart from what we bring to you in Battle of Champions here in India today,
25:31head over to our digital platform.
25:33It's called Sports Today.
25:34Go to YouTube, search for Sports Today.
25:36We are there every day at 7 p.m.
25:38with our flagship program, Dugout,
25:40where we have a no-hold bar discussion.
25:42Also, every day after India's match,
25:4510.30 p.m., we will be live to discuss India's results.
25:49For the moment, that's all the time that we have on this broadcast.
25:52This is Nikhil Naas signing off from Dubai.
25:55But news and updates continue on India Today.