ICC World Cup 2019 | I will not judge team after every game, says Sachin Tendulkar on warm-up loss

Ravindra Jadeja was the lone batsman to score a fifty in the warm-encounter between India and New Zealand while Hardik Pandya scored 30 runs, taking the team’s total to 179. In reply, the New Zealand openers also failed but Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor’s 114-run partnership ensured a victory for the Kiwis. The spinners did dismiss the duo in the end but failed to get a wicket in the middle overs. Sachin Tendulkar is of the belief that a team should not be judged after every match.

“I will not judge the team after each and every game. It’s a tournament and things like these will happen. The main tournament has not even started yet,” he said on the sidelines of the Mumbai T20 League on Sunday, reported PTI.

India will face Bangladesh is another warm-up match at Cardiff on Tuesday and Tendulkar hoped that they will make the most of it.

“I think, we need to settle down, one or two games may go here and there. India should make most of the practice matches leading to the World Cup. They should understand what kind of surfaces they might get. I won’t panic at all as of now,” he expressed.

The skipper opted to bat on a grassy pitch, coupled with overcast conditions, so as to ensure that the side is ready for all sorts of challenges. Kedar Jadhav was also not fully fit while Vijay Shankar had injured himself prior to the game. The legendary batsman reckoned that all teams were just trying out different combinations.

“Many a times, teams are trying different combinations, batting line up. Almost all teams are not sure about their front-line, playing 11, several bowlers and batsmen are rested. Nobody is wanting to expose their proper playing XI. All the teams are preparing and trying different combinations in those conditions, which would work for them,” explained the 46-year-old.

“Yesterday (in the warm-up match) was a different kind of pitch with a bit of grass cover on it and the conditions were slightly in favour of bowlers upfront and as the time went by, the wicket settled down little more. I think the wickets will change, they will get little flatter and spinners will come into play much more,” he added.

The ‘God of cricket’, as he fondly called, also went on to say that he expects Afghanistan to spring a few surprises in the ten-nation tournament. The spin duo of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman make the side a big threat for any team. For reference, the former has the highest 48 wickets by any bowler in ODIs in 2018, while the latter has the fourth highest 37 wickets.

“I have said it earlier that Afghanistan will throw up surprises in the World Cup because they have one of the best spin bowling attacks. Even if they treat it like Test cricket, they will still take wickets in the middle overs,” Tendulkar signed off.

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