We had previewed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February 2023, and the plan was always to do the same for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. And speaking to Gideon Haigh on cricket is always welcome. One of the finest writers on the game, Haigh is also one of its better thinkers. Extracts from the conversation:
Boria: Two months of IPL. Do you think the Indians go into the WTC final at a disadvantage as a result?
Gideon: No, I don’t think so. Take the example of Cameron Green. I think he has benefitted immensely from the IPL. Playing under pressure and with the price tag of his, Green is certainly a more mature player at the end of his IPL experience. And like we always say, some cricket is better than no cricket. I think some of the Indian players like [Shubman] Gill, Virat [Kohli], [Mohammed] Shami and [Ajinkya] Rahane will actually be carrying some good form and confidence into the WTC final.
Boria: Going by what you said, do you think Rohit’s IPL form, which wasn’t the best, is a matter of concern?
Gideon: I don’t think the IPL ended too badly for Rohit or Mumbai. Midway through the season, it all seemed downhill, but thereafter they were able to turn things around, and that must have given Rohit some confidence. He scored some runs towards the business end, and in any case, Rohit has been a much better Test batsman in the last two years. He scored a very good century at The Oval in 2021, and even in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scored a very good hundred in Nagpur. The way the IPL ended, Rohit should be in a good mind space ahead of the WTC.
Boria: And Virat, it is fair to say, is carrying some real good form to the WTC.
Gideon: Virat Kohli makes his own rules. Always did. And I also think the purist in Virat rebels from within when he is playing the shortest format. He is so good that he refuses to slog on occasion, and wants to play orthodox cricket shots. That’s why people think that Virat is playing a tad slow at times. But it is his inner self that always prefers the orthodox classical game. And that’s why I think for him, getting back to Test cricket will be a relief. He must be looking forward to The Oval and with the kind of conditions on offer, he can be best player for India. Not that I am saying something new here (laughs)!
Boria: The one selection which I think has been a really good one from the selectors is that of Rahane. Your thoughts on his comeback?
Gideon: Rahane in form is one of the first players in any team. He is an indispensable presence in the dressing room. Someone who can lead a team to victory at the MCG after the 36 all out is a very special leader. I am sure his return will give Rohit a kind of comfort in the dressing room. Also, behind the wickets, he is one of the best catchers in the world, and that will make a huge difference to India.
Boria: How impressed are you with Shubman Gill? All of India thinks he is the next batting superstar after Virat Kohli. Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Kohli, Gill…
Gideon: I really like the way Indians paint these lineages. Shows how much they love their icons across generations. Coming to Gill, I think he is absolute batting royalty. At his age, he has scored runs in a way few can, and he will go into the final full of confidence. I think we will all agree he will be the dominant batter in the next decade.
Boria: Two questions on bowling. First, many are of the opinion that the Australian fast bowlers will blow the Indian batting away. I actually think the Indian bowling isn’t bad either and, even in the absence of Bumrah, will ask questions of the Australian batting.
Gideon: I tend to agree with you. Mohammed Shami, for example, is an enigma. With fast bowlers, they tend to taper off after a point in their careers, but in Shami’s case, he is just getting better and better. He still bowls with the perfect seam position, and is in fact fitter than he was in the past. If the conditions help him, he can be a real threat to the Australian batters. [Mohammed] Siraj too is a very good bowler. He was the stand-out performer for RCB who have always struggled with their bowling. In fact, in a relatively modest bowling line-up, it was Siraj who always stood up for RCB.
Boria: Would you say given the dry conditions, India will be tempted to go in with two spinners? Also, because both Jadeja and Ashwin are very good batters.
Gideon: I think India should most certainly play two spinners. If you take a third seamer, he will not have any mental edge over the Australians. Ashwin and Jadeja are different. Given their performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, I think they hold a slight edge over some of the Australian batters. And Ashwin batting at No.8 gives Rohit a lot of options. It means the tail isn’t exposed early, and also makes a real case for India to play Ishan Kishan, who is as close to a like-for-like replacement for [Rishabh] Pant.
I wasn’t really impressed with KS Bharat, and while I think he is competent enough, I think Rohit will be tempted to play Ishan, who can offer India that element of surprise and that X-factor. With Ashwin at No.8, it is a relatively safe experiment. Ashwin’s presence at 8 allows for Ishan’s flamboyance in the Indian order.
Boria: Your thoughts on Dave Warner? He has spoken about calling it a day in Sydney in 2024 or even earlier, but for the WTC final, he still poses a real threat to India.
Gideon: I think Warner benefitted from the IPL in the end. He was struggling in the first half of the tournament, but then worked his way into it and adjusted his technique. It was evident he was working hard to get back into rhythm, and he must be looking forward to the final. Mentally, he will be in a good space with a reasonable IPL as a batsman, and that should work well for Dave Warner, who is an out-and-out confidence player. If he is confident, he can be a real problem for the opposition.
Boria: And finally to skipper Pat Cummins. He has a strong attack in Hazlewood or Boland, Starc and Lyon, not to forget Green. With his family tribulations behind him, Cummins must be awaiting the return to action.
Gideon: Pat Cummins is a good leader. Having said that, he looked a little off-colour in the Border-Gavaskar trophy, and wasn’t able to bowl one of those probing spells that he is known for. What the Border-Gavaskar trophy showed us is that it is not easy to be a bowling captain in Indian conditions. Cummins will very much prefer the neutral venue in England, and will know that he is on the cusp of doing something that has not been done before. This Australian team is always about doing new things, and Australia have never been in a WTC final before. Cummins could very well script history in the final.
Boria: So, who is ahead? Australia, marginally?
Gideon: Maybe very marginally. But we are speaking days in advance, and things can change on the morning of the game. Who wins the toss, what the conditions are like, is there cloud cover? If you ask me on the morning of the game, I might have something else to say. It is that close to call!