There has been a sea-change in the manner in which the teams look at warm-up games over the last few decades.
“Not important to gain for us. Priority is to look after the players. Just a formality. ”
That was the crux of India captain Rohit Sharma’s brief converse with the host broadcaster after winning the toss against England in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match.
No wonder also that India would not have been too disappointed when a rainstorm that started twinkles before the launch of play washed the game out. As a result, India left for Thiruvananthapuram for its last warm-up game with only four players training on the pre-match day.
The fact that three of the five warm-up games so far have been washed out has redounded in questions being raised- further than the scheduling and selection of venues- on the significance and demand of warm-up games.
Utmost brigades were busy rotating players in transnational institutions with lower than a week remaining for the warm-up games. It has redounded in a maturity of brigades not taking the warm-up games seriously. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan preferred to rest during his platoon’s warm-up tie against Sri Lanka on Friday.
It shows that there has been a ocean- change in the manner in which the brigades look at warm-up games over the last many decades. At a time when there were no warm-up games, it was the pre-World Cup probables camp that used to be the stalking ground for justice captains to hunt for an X-factor.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, for case, was rechristened from a stroke less wonder to Sixer Sidhu due to his exploits in the pre-tournament nets ahead of the 1987 Reliance Cup. So much has changed since also that most brigades prefer to save their energy during the warm-up games.
Add to the fact that the warm-up games aren’t sanctioned ODIs- any 11 can club or coliseum during the game- also takes the luster out of the games.
It doesn’t really mean that warm-up games have come spare ahead of showpiece limited overs ’ events. Despite Rohit playing down the game, India would have been hoping to let Shreyas Iyer and R. Ashwin some vital game- time.
While Shreyas proved his fitness with a majestic hundred against Australia last week, he’s still short of match- practice. also, Ashwin has played just four ODIs in the last six times, including his two appearances against Australia.
Indeed Bangladesh had a lot of cons to take on Thursday with Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan having nearly sealed the opening brace combination for the World Cup with a 131- run cooperation against Sri Lanka.
The coming two days will wind up the warm-up stage of the World Cup’s 13th edition. It’ll be intriguing to see the approach espoused by the brigades, rainfall permitting. Know More Latest Cricket News…
