Asia Cup 2022, India vs Pakistan: India focus on top-order approach and death-over bowling

03.09.2022 - 12:11 timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Pakistan in an Asia Cup 'Super 4s' clash. If top-order's Powerplay philosophy is a problem, the inexperience of Avesh Khan at the death is no less a worry as the team management may need to revamp the bowling attack against a strong Pakistan side that is coming into the game after demolishing Hong Kong by more than 150 runs.

With no Ravindra Jadeja available in this game, Axar Patel seems a straightaway replacement but the team combination does take a hit in the absence of Saurashtra all-rounder.

In the last game against Pakistan, head coach Rahul Dravid promoted Jadeja to number four to keep the left-right combination going in the top six as Rishabh Pant was dropped from the playing XI.

It remains to be seen if skipper Rohit Sharma and Dravid will take the gamble again on Sunday. But it won't be an exaggeration to say that when it comes to requirement of having a pure left-hand batter in top six, only the man from Roorkee can provide the solution.

bowling India vs Pakistan cup on focus Rohit Sharma Rahul Dravid India Hong Kong Pakistan Hong Kong

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All but out of reckoning for the summit clash, a dishevelled India would like to put their house in order before facing a gutsy Afghanistan team which could prove to be a proverbial banana peel in the final Super 4 clash of the Asia Cup on Thursday. The Indian team hasn't performed to its full potential in the Super 4 stage and lack of resources and poor team selection can also be blamed for back-to-back demoralising defeats against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. What ails the current Indian team is lack of flexibility in its planning and perhaps a few fingers will be pointed at head coach Rahul Dravid.

Asia Cup 2022, India vs Sri Lanka: Team is 95% settled for T20 World Cup, but we still need some answers, says Rohit Sharma

Asia Cup, the Indian team is facing some flak for a below-par show but skipper Rohit Sharma insists that the team combination is more or less settled going into the T20 World Cup, though, they are still looking for some "answers". The absence of an indisposed Avesh Khan and Ravindra Jadeja, who underwent a knee surgery, meant that India competed with only two frontline seamers -- Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh -- with Hardik Pandya being the third fast-medium option.

Asia Cup 2022, India vs Sri Lanka: No long-term worries, we tried out three-seamer option, says Rohit Sharma

Sri Lanka here on Tuesday but captain Rohit Sharma said there are no long-term worries as they were experimenting with three seamers in view of the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. Rohit said the back-to-back losses in the Asia Cup -- the first against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday -- will teach the team how to find answers before the ICC event in October-November. "I was happy with three seamers. Unfortunately Avesh hasn't turned up well in the fitness tests. He didn't respond well because he was quite sick. Ideally the combination we would play is four seamers, but three seamers was something we wanted to try before the World Cup," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.

India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2022: India Lose To Sri Lanka By 6 Wickets, Stare At Elimination

Defending champions India went perilously close to elimination after a six-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in their super four stage match of the Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. The result left the Men in Blue at the mercy of the other teams to have a chance of making it to the final. It also meant that India skipper Rohit Sharma's scintillating 41-ball 72 went in vain, as the islanders completed a chase of 174 with a ball to spare. Needing 21 in 12 balls, Sri Lanka scored 14 runs off the penultimate over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, almost sealing it in their favour.

Asia Cup 2022, India vs Pakistan: Rahul Dravid ups the ante, says team isn't here just to prepare for T20 World Cup

Rahul Dravid paused, scratched his head and then continued with an awkward smile: "The word is coming out of my mind but I can't use it here. It's a four-letter word that starts with 'S'. Let's say (we) might not look (as) glamorous." The press conference room broke into laughter. Dravid was responding to a journalist's suggestion that Pakistan may have a much more potent bowling attack than India. Team India's head coach wasn't going to just let that pass on the eve of India's second match against Pakistan in this tournament on Saturday.

Asia Cup 2022, India vs Pakistan: Did Rahul Dravid Hesitate At Using The Word "Sexy" In A Press Conference?

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid was all praise for his side's bowling attack ahead of their Asia Cup Super 4 encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan. While addressing a press conference, Dravid was talking about how while India's bowling attack may not look as glamourous, they get the job done. While trying to explain this, he got stuck at a word, but showed quick wit to get the message across without uttering it.