Veteran Indian off-spinner R Ashwin reacted to Ricky Ponting’s recent remarks on Team India ahead of their must-win Super 12 clash against Zimbabwe on Sunday (November 6) at the MCG, as the 'Men in Blue' are a win away from securing a semifinal berth in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
Recently, Ponting said that the Indian cricket team "has not been at their best yet" and that they would need Virat Kohli to be playing at his best going forward in the ongoing tournament in Australia.
Ponting had stated: “India haven't been at their best yet, but Virat has been very very good in a couple of games. He is now the leading run-scorer in the history of the T20 World Cup and I think if India are to actually progress and go on to win, they need Virat there to be playing really well.”
Reacting to the Australian great’s comment, Ashwin said that it is unfair to say Team India has not yet played at their best in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 while claiming it is all about executing skills on the day, as the team is gearing up for the must-win match against Zimbabwe.
R Ashwin said during a pre-match press conference: “We had quite some close games. Yeah, Bangladesh, Pakistan, all these games went down to the wire. Look, I think in T20 cricket, to follow common cricket cliches, I hope it changes at some time. But I think even people watching the game, giving their expert opinions on the game are still learning the ropes, I would say, because the game is diverted by such small margins.”
He continued, “Even sometimes I've spoken to experts and ex-cricketers. They themselves feel they are sometimes catching up with the pace of the game and how the game has evolved. It will be unfair to say that a team is not stepped you are, or a team is not looking at its best because it's on the day. Like I said, it's on the day. How are you going to counter a plan that's delivered? How are you going to counter a bowler that's bowled a first good first over.”
Ashwin signed off by saying, “It's then and there. You can't really lay down and say the team did not play good cricket or played wonderful cricket. It's on the day how well you execute your skills. T20 cricket is standing on small margins, so to make any previews ahead or -- I would better say just make a review after the game, which is much better.”
