On Sunday, India defeated England at the Shri Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow to win their sixth game in a row in the current ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
The Men in Blue appeared to be in trouble early in their innings when they lost several wickets in rapid succession, but skipper Rohit Sharma and middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav helped to steady the ship.
India earned some dignity with their final total of 229, but things appeared to be difficult for them considering how formidable the English batting order promised to be.
However, things improved when Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah delivered a magnificent performance with the ball in hand to dismiss England for 129 in the 35th over.
The Three Lions never appeared to be a threat to India, and the consequence was obvious to everybody. Experts and commentators from all around the world seemed to be united in their joy at India’s victory, which kept them atop the table.
In this listicle, we provide five such replies from professionals throughout the world:
5. Aakash Chopra – “If Rohit Sharma had got out early, the story would have been embarrassing.”
Former India opener Aakash Chopra, now an experienced analyst, emphasized the importance of captain Rohit Sharma to this Indian team. Chopra talked eloquently in a video released on his YouTube channel on how crucial it was for Sharma to continue and play the knock that he did to put up a decent total for his side.
“When the cameras’ focus is a lot more on one player, a lot of people go into the background. It has happened with Rohit Sharma for a long time that the focus wasn’t on him. His performances used to come for sure but almost like a side dish. But he is the main gravy, he is the guy.”
“He has seven centuries in World Cups. If you see this match, you will find that there was no way India would have come even close in the match without his 87. India were three down for nothing. If Rohit Sharma had got out early, the story would have been embarrassing, you wouldn’t have scored even 150.”
Aakash Chopra
4. Misbah-ul-Haq – “The skipper played a critical role in winning this game for India.”
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was another expert who praised Rohit Sharma’s performance for India on Sunday. Misbah told Pakistani television station A Sports that Sharma’s disciplined batting technique was the key to India reaching their score. This, in turn, aided the bowlers on the team.
“Extraordinary batting from Rohit Sharma on such a challenging surface. He managed to both anchor and put pressure on the English bowlers. He ensured that the game did not get out of hand for India. The skipper played a critical role in winning this game for India. Rohit respected the conditions and then landed the punches at the right time.”
Misbah-ul-Haq
3. Michael Vaughan – “Rohit Sharma basically gave a message to the dressing room that there is no pressure.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan burst into tears when speaking to Cricbuzz about Rohit Sharma’s effect. Overall, India played outstanding cricket to defeat England, but Sharma’s contribution cannot be overlooked. Vaughan also stated that England’s combinations were incorrect.
“Rohit Sharma’s basic attitude is to be aggressive. However, he realised that this pitch was unlikely to be easy to bat upon. He always had the boundary option in his mind but he knew that his team was under some pressure. He batted with a lot of discipline and determination to ensure that his team had a decent total on the board. He basically gave a message to the dressing room that there is no pressure.”
Michael Vaughan
2. Moin Khan – “There is healthy internal competition in the Indian side.”
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan, who sits on the panel of experts in the show The Pavilion on Pakistani news channel A Sports, praised the Indian team’s competitiveness. He said that without such rivalry, India would not have been able to consistently produce such achievements.
“There is healthy internal competition in the Indian side. This is the key to the success for any team. Suryakumar Yadav proved the point today. It is very important to get the wickets of such players early on in their innings, or else they can go on and wreak havoc upon you. As for the bowling department, India bowled in partnerships, and that is what worked for them. It is just as important to form partnerships while bowling as it is to do with the bat in hand.”
Moin Khan
5. Wasim Akram – “India showcased why they are the best team in this World Cup.”
Wasim Akram, one of the primary panelists on the Pakistani television channel A Sports’ sports show The Pavilion, praised the devotion displayed by former Indian cricketers behind the scenes. He also commended India’s strong domestic system for their outstanding performance in 2017 World Cup.
“A lot of India’s former players have contributed immensely to the domestic structure in India. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have all played big roles in the development of cricket in the country, and the result is there for all to see. Dravid is a great of the game, but he has no ego, and this is what I admire so much about him.”
“India fought back with immense quality, and showcased why exactly they are the best team in this World Cup. India’s bowling attack appears to be the best in the tournament by some distance. England fielded well but they did not quite seem up to the task that India put to them when the former started batting.”
Wasim Akram
