Sourav Ganguly is always interesting to speak to. He understands the sport better than most and, if he is in a good space and not pushed by phone calls and selfies, gives you multiple headlines in the course of a 20-minute conversation. Friday was one such day. As we both sat in the green room of the Goa Fest planning our session, it was time for a detailed T20 World Cup deep dive with Sourav. From who should open, to whether he is worried about Hardik Pandya’s form, Sourav spoke about a host of issues. Excerpts from the conversation:
Boria: For the first time in years, fans aren’t really upbeat about an Indian team going into a World Cup. Do you give Rohit’s team a serious chance?
Sourav Ganguly: Absolutely, I do. The team has a number of quality players and are going into the tournament on the back of some serious T20 cricket in the form of the IPL. That should help them in New York. What will also go in their favour are the bigger grounds, and it will help our spinners, for example. In a World Cup, you can never rule out India just because of the simple reason there is a lot of quality in the team.
Boria: Are you worried about Rohit and Hardik’s form, for example? Neither had a very good IPL. And we need both of them to fire in the World Cup if India are to have a realistic chance.
Ganguly: No, I am not worried. Rohit is a great of the game, and if you see what he did in the 50-over World Cup, I am confident he will do that again. At this level, form is about a couple of games when you have that kind of quality. So, I am not worried about Rohit. He has scored runs across the world, and has played a lot of cricket and will surely do the job expected of him.
Hardik is different because he doesn’t play that much cricket, and that’s a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form. I would want him to do so, and it can only happen if he plays a lot more cricket.
Boria: There is a lot of talk about who should open the batting. Should it be Rohit and Virat [Kohli], or should it be [Yashasvi] Jaiswal and Rohit, or Virat and Jaiswal? – what’s your preferred combination?
Ganguly: I would open with Virat and Rohit. I want Virat to bat the way he did for RCB in the second half of the IPL. He has to bat with freedom. Needless to say, he is a great player, but for India to do well, Virat will have to bat with freedom like he did in the IPL. So my choice would be Virat and Rohit at the top of the order.
Boria: In 2019, on that fateful day in Manchester when we lost the World Cup semi-final and the entire country was critical of Rishabh Pant, I remember you telling me he is the next big superstar for India. You saw his comeback and mentored him in Delhi. Your thoughts on Pant donning the blue jersey again?
Ganguly: He is a very special talent. His keeping is good, but his batting really special. He is capable of picking some great angles in the ground, and that’s his USP. Not every player will be able to do that, you see. And that’s what makes Pant very important for India. He has worked very very hard to make this comeback, and is hungry to do well. I am confident he will make a telling difference.
Boria: When I look at the fast-bowling group, I am worried. Except Jasprit [Bumrah], who is the best in the world, others are struggling. [Mohammed] Siraj hasn’t bowled the best, and the same can be said of Arshdeep [Singh] and Hardik. Your thoughts?
Ganguly: I am not really worried. Again, you have to take into account the nature of pitches in the IPL, the ground dimensions and the conditions on offer for the fast bowlers. The World Cup will be very different, and the conditions in the West Indies will not be anywhere near the IPL. Our bowlers shouldn’t have an issue in the World Cup is my assumption.
Boria: We keep speaking of pressure. Rather, the inability to handle the big stage. How does India overcome this issue?
Ganguly: If I can say something to Rahul [Dravid] and, make no mistake, he is a champion cricketer and cricket brain, it will be to relax a little. When I see Rohit’s wife in the stands, it is evident how much pressure she is under. When I see Virat’s wife, I see the kind of pressure she is feeling. We in India make this mistake of pushing too much. I think back to the 2003 [World Cup] final, for example. If anything, we need to relax when we are playing the big games. Just play with freedom.
In the 2023 World Cup, despite losing the final, I will say India was the best team. We played some fantastic cricket right through the competition. If only we could be a little relaxed for the final. That’s what I want to see. That we play with freedom, but also don’t put too much pressure on ourselves.
Boria: Final question – you have seen Kuldeep [Yadav] closely for Delhi. He is back at his best, you reckon?
Ganguly: Yes, he is bowling very well. And he is confident about himself. That’s the key. I am telling you yet again. Whatever you might feel, India has serious quality and will always have a very good chance in the World Cup. Mark my words.