Bengaluru: The ICC Champions Trophy – the blue riband event of the 50-over season this year is set to begin on Thursday with hosts England kicking things off against Bangladesh at the Edgbaston. India return to the scene that brought them their second Champions Trophy title and former cricket star VVS Laxman believes this side has what it takes to emulate the triumphant Men in Blue of 2013.
“The way they played in the warm-up games was very impressive. The batsmen are in good knick. And then the bowlers were sensational. India definitely has a chance to win the title. But there are other good teams as well. So it is difficult to predict the winner,” said the former batsman, on the sidelines of an event organised by P&G Shiksha that promotes children’s education in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Hounded by excited kids from the Government Higher Primary School in Muthuru, Doddaballapur Town, Laxman relished the prospect of India’s opener against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, at a time when the already frosty relationship between the two countries has turned frigid. He feels the recent warm-up victories against New Zealand and Bangladesh will put India in good stead. “It’s going to be a high profile match where countrymen of both the teams will be waiting eagerly for that match. But I have always believed that when you play against Pakistan, it’s important to remove all the distractions from you mind. It’s important to focus on the task at hand and I am sure Virat will be telling his team the same.”
The 42-year-old claimed this side has more experience than title winners of 2013, but will need contributions from their batsmen in order to push on. “Last time when they won the Champions Trophy, the contributions of Shikhar and Rohit were very good and I am hoping that it repeats in this year’s Champions Trophy as well. The batsmen should pile up big score, especially when conditions are bound to change.”
English conditions are notorious for swinging wickets and making life difficult for batsmen, as was experienced by the hosts themselves in a colossal batting collapse against South Africa in their bilateral ODI series.
The Hyderabad Sunrisers mentor took great confidence from this and emphasised that India’s bowling will determine if we retain the title. “He (Virat Kohli) has four quality pace bowlers and two quality spinners and then an all-rounder in Hardik (Pandya). I believe Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Bhumrah are the two best death bowlers not only for India but in world cricket. We have seen that against some quality batsmen with their control over the change of pace, Yorkers and slow bouncers but picking up wickets in the middle overs is very important. If the bowlers do well, we can definitely win the Champions Trophy.”
Aside from Pakistan, India face South Africa and Sri Lanka in Group B, and Laxman predicted his semi-finalists. “For me the four who will make it to the semifinals will be England and Australia (Group A) and Group B’s South Africa and India,” he said, signing off.
