CHENNAI: India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said that keeper-batter Sanju Samson will be in discussions ahead of their must-win clash against Zimbabwe here in Chennai on Thursday.
In the lead up to the contest, Samson was batting alongside Ishan Kishan in the nets on Tuesday evening and had an extensive hit with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate as well. Out-of-form opener Abhishek Sharma, meanwhile, batted separately after the aforementioned two were done.
Asked if the nets were an indication of Samson playing, Kotak said that is not necessarily the case, but Samson will be discussed as they sit down to pick the playing XI. “Normally, in every net, Abhishek doesn't bat to start with. He always bats in the second or third set. Sanju would normally always bat if we have that space because Abhishek doesn't bat. And Sanju is the third opener and the wicket-keeper. So, he bats anywhere. Sometimes, he wants to do some drills and he goes behind and does things. So, that's not an indication. Yes, definitely, there will be thought about playing him. That is no doubt,” Kotak said ahead of the all-important clash against Zimbabwe.
India, coming into the clash, are feeling the heat after the 76-run loss against South Africa in Ahmedabad. With the West Indies thrashing Zimbabwe, India will be hoping that South Africa beats the Caribbean side in the afternoon tie on Thursday. However, irrespective of what happens in that contest, India have to win every match from hereon to defend their T20 World Cup title.
Kotak said there is no panic in the dressing room and they want to put behind the loss against South Africa and move on to the next game. “For us, all the matches are a must-win. And in the World Cup, that situation is of every team. It's not that it is a must-win for us only. But, because our last game was not that good, it's absolutely fine. If you want to go and win the World Cup, you expect to beat both the sides you play. Whether it's Australia, whether it's Zimbabwe, whether it's the West Indies or whoever it may be. I don't think that that kind of worry or panic or anything at all,” he said.
The batting coach said the pitch, which is to be used in Chennai, looks like a “high-scoring” one before adding that India have not struggled because of black soil pitches. “First thing, I don't think we struggle on black soil. Slower pitches in T20, if it becomes very slow, then anybody struggles. But I don't even think wickets feel that slow. Here also wicket, high scoring it looks. Sometimes, if you lose three wickets in one over or if you get a low score, I don't think we should be even blaming wickets. I think we have to just try and stay positive, play better cricket and I think it's apart from the last game, I think we have done reasonably well. There was not so much concern,” he said. “I honestly don't think we need to change too many things. Technically, people ask about Sanju's right-handedness up front, that kind of thing. Or you think of playing three-spinners. Obviously, there are 15 players. So, we will discuss all those. I don't think at all that we need to worry about playing badly or anything. We have not had a good opening start. Once you get an opening start, it will be a different environment again. So, we just keep trying to reinforce that we will try and get a good opening start,” Kotak added.