India’s young generation ready to take on world cricket by storm
Dubai: Mumbai witnessed a masterclass in fearless cricket on Sunday as a young Indian side annihilated England in the final T20, sealing a dominant series win..Abhishek Sharma led the charge with a blistering 135, propelling India to a mammoth 247 for nine. England never looked in the chase, folding for just 97 as the hosts wrapped up a resounding 150-run victory..Fearless cricket the new mantra.India’s coach was full of praise for his players, hailing their aggressive approach..“That’s the kind of T20 cricket we want to play. We don’t want to fear losing a game of cricket. We want to play high-risk, high-reward cricket, and these guys have adopted that ideology, that policy really well. The ideology of this T20 team is based on selflessness and fearlessness. In the last six months, these guys have done it day in, day out,” Gambhir told the host broadcaster..“We want to try and get to 250-260 regularly. And in trying to do that, there’ll be games where we’ll get bundled out for 120-130. And that is what T20 cricket is all about. Unless and until you play that high-risk cricket, you won’t get those big rewards. Most importantly, I think we’re on the right track. Come those big tournaments, we want to continue playing this way, and we don’t want to fear losing anything,” he added, hailing Abhishek Sharma”s knock as one of the best he has seen..”I”ve never seen a better Twenty20 innings. He took on a top-quality England attack with ease. To consistently take on bowlers like Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, who were clocking 150 kmph, speaks volumes about Abhishek Sharma,” Gambhir added..India have embraced this attacking mindset since the series against South Africa, and extending that form against a quality England bowling attack is a major confidence boost for the young squad..Experienced stars return for ODIs.Only three players from Mumbai’s playing XI will be part of India’s squad for the three One-Day Internationals against England, starting Thursday. None of the batters from the T20 series are in the ODI squad, which will also travel to Dubai for the ICC Champions Trophy..India’s senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will return alongside Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul..However, barring Gill, none of the returning batters made a significant impact in the domestic competition. Despite that, Gambhir backs them to do well and play similarly entertaining cricket in the ODIs..Backing Rohit and Kohli amid pressure.Skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have faced immense pressure after falling short of their high standards in Australia, sparking calls for their exclusion. However, Gambhir has firmly backed the duo, emphasising their value to Indian cricket and expecting them to play a key role in the Champions Trophy. .“We will try and play as aggressively as we have done in the Twenty20. We want to entertain the crowd, and we want to play fearless cricket. We’re getting two quality players [Kohli and Rohit] back in the team. They have phenomenal records in one-day cricket. Hopefully, they can come and deliver and be as aggressive and positive as they can,” Gambhir said, dismissing rumours of dressing-room tension and emphasising a strong team culture..“A couple of months ago, there were so many reports about the Indian dressing room, the culture, and everything. But once the results start going in your favour, everything falls into place. This has been an incredible bunch of players who want to enjoy themselves and, most importantly, have the hunger to play for the country.”.Bigger test ahead.India’s young guns have made a bold statement with their fearless cricket, dismantling a world-class England side. But with the ODI series and Champions Trophy on the horizon, the challenge now shifts to whether the returning stalwarts can carry forward this attacking brand of cricket. As the focus shifts to the longer white-ball format, the pressure is on India’s senior players to match the fearless energy of their younger counterparts.
Source: A.K.S. Satish