Defending champions India face no threat from Namibia in Thursday's T20 World Cup match in Delhi. However, opener Abhishek Sharma's stomach infection and Ishan Kishan's injury during practice sessions will worry the team management, including head coach Gautam Gambhir, as they could disrupt their plans. The batsmen failed to perform as expected on the sticky Wankhede pitch in the first match against the USA. Now, they will be looking to play aggressively on the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which is considered an excellent batting pitch.
India has a strong advantage against Namibia, which also failed to perform well against the Netherlands on the same ground. This match serves as a practice match for India before the crucial match against Pakistan on February 15th. If India wins the toss, they will want to bat first to give their batsmen ample opportunity. Namibia's bowling attack is not particularly impressive, and any team playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy could give them a tough time.
Abhishek's stomach infection problem
For India, Abhishek's hospitalization due to a stomach infection and viral fever was a cause for concern. However, he has now been discharged. However, the team management would not want to risk playing him immediately after his recovery. However, we are all well aware of Abhishek's fighting spirit. He is considered a fighter who is not afraid of challenges. Therefore, it would not be surprising if he persuades the management to return to the field.
However, it would not be appropriate to field him before Sunday's big match against Pakistan to give him a chance to fully recover, as Abhishek's presence in that match would pose a significant challenge for the opposition. The match against Namibia could prove to be a golden opportunity for Sanju Samson, who has been struggling with poor form, to regain his form. Due to his continuous failures, he lost his place to Ishan Kishan, who is currently in excellent form.
Ishan Kishan also suffered an injury
However, Ishan also faces problems. On Wednesday, Ishan Kishan injured his toe after being hit by a fast yorker from Jasprit Bumrah during an optional practice session. Kishan was the first to wear pads in the nets, but early in his session, a yorker from Bumrah struck his left foot, causing him severe pain. Support staff then removed his left pad and shoe. Ishan appeared to be in pain. Bowling coach Morne Morkel also examined his injury during the physio's assessment. A few minutes later, Kishan tried walking barefoot, but was limping.
However, he was showing signs that the injury was not as serious as initially feared. Within five minutes, Kishan put his shoe back on, padded again, and returned to face a few balls. He appeared slightly uncomfortable before stepping out and returning to the dressing room with a staff member. It was unclear whether he left the nets early as a precaution or simply to give teammate Sanju Samson time to bat.
Coach Deshkate's statement on Sanju
In the pre-match press conference, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said, "Sanju is feeling well and understanding his role in the team as a replacement for the injured player. He's a genuine person, he's been good with the team, he's been practicing well, and we expect the same from everyone in the team." If both Ishan and Abhishek don't play, it will be a major problem for the team management. In such a situation, the team may open with Sanju and Washington Sundar.
Namibia will face a tough challenge against India's strong batting line-up. Their batsmen will find it even more challenging to face the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Hardik Pandya. Of Namibia's top six batsmen, only all-rounder JJ Smit has a strike rate of over 140. Facing Chakravarthy could be a significant challenge for the Namibian team, as they don't typically face such high-level bowlers.
Namibia bowled out for under 100 against India A
The International Cricket Council (ICC)'s scheduling team ensured that, with the exception of the commercially significant match against Pakistan, India's remaining league stage matches were against teams that would lose to India A, B, or C in this format. In a practice match before the tournament, India A bowled out Namibia for under 100. Even if something goes wrong in the match against Pakistan, India will still advance to the Super Eight, where the real test begins. The groups there are also structured in such a way that if India reaches the semi-finals, it will not face either Australia or South Africa.
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