MUMBAI , MAY 03,
England hosting an ICC World Cup offers participants and teams with unique experiences and presents a different playing challenge.
Sachin Tendulkar — a 1999 World Cup squad member in England and someone who was inspired by the 1983 World Cup win by India in the Old Blighty — offers his observations ahead of the 2019 tournament. He was talking on the sidelines at the opening day of the Tendulkar Middlesex Global Academy camp at MIG Club, Bandra, involving coaches from the county. Excerpts:
Your thoughts on a cricket World Cup hosted by England, the original home of cricket…
The World Cup is being played in England, hopefully it is coming to India (after winning the final). The competition being played in England is always a special feeling, that is where the journey started for me in 1983 when it was played there, the circle is now complete.
Playing a World Cup in England makes it special because of the weather, the bus journeys… The team is always together. When a match is done, you go back to your coach [team bus], relax, watch a movie inside as a whole team and go to the next venue. As far as keeping everyone together and enjoying those moments on tour, these will happen more frequently.
The adjustments players will be expected to make during a World Cup there, the conditions facing the current Indian team…
We know the team’s strengths and weaknesses due to frequent matches against all sides. I am told the conditions are going to be hot.
The last time when we played in the ICC Champions Trophy, the wickets were superb. When the sun is out and it is hot outside, the wickets get really flat.
I’m sure they are going to give beautiful tracks to bat on. I personally don’t see any difference in the conditions, unless there is a cloud cover and the ball might move around a bit. I don’t see that happening for a longer time, just the first few overs. If the sun is out, I don’t see much lateral movement happening.
Will a successful IPL outing have any effect on batsmen in 2019 World Cup?
Good performance in any format is good, because is conveys confidence. The striking of the ball on the bat creates a sound, which to me is confidence. Before the team reaches England, that is what we should be thinking of and nothing else. Adjustments have still to be made for the 50-over format, I know our cricketers have played enough to understand that. This is not the first time they will be making adjustments.
