India

“Things Change During World Cup”: Ex-India Star Aheaad Of Pakistan Clash

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Former India pacer RP Singh believes there will be a lot of pressure on the players during the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The marquee event is set to kick off on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies. One of the greatest rivalries in the history of cricket, India and Pakistan, will write a new chapter in their story on June 9 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York. While India’s World Cup-bound players were engaged in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season to prepare for the tournament, Pakistan played the T20I bilateral series against New Zealand, Ireland, and England. They drew the five-match T20I series against New Zealand (2-2), won the three-match series against Ireland (2-1), and lost the four-match series against England by 2-0. Despite Pakistan’s dwindling form, RP Singh believes that things change during the World Cup and the level of pressure will be different on the players. “Pakistan is also a good team. They played against Ireland and suffered a defeat. Things change during the World Cup. The match is always high-voltage so there is a lot of pressure on the players. Indians’ performance in the World Cup has always been good. We just lost one match last time, and were dominant throughout,” RP Singh told the media during the jersey launch of the World Championship of Legends team India Champions. The level of pressure on the players and the emotional connection of the fans were visible during their last encounter in the World Cup. In 2022, the Men in Green were far ahead in the game against India. The Men in Blue needed 28 runs off a mere 8 deliveries to walk away with a victory. With Virat Kohli on strike against Haris Rauf, the stalwart batter took a step back and struck a towering six right over the head of the Pakistan speedster. In an emotion-packed game, commentator Gerard Whateley delivered the iconic “That is a shot of an emperor” line to describe Kohli’s masterclass. He tonked another maximum on the next ball, which laid the foundation for a successful 160-run chase for India. The match lived up to its hype, and the fans will be expecting another cracker of a match. Before the epic clash between the two cricketing giants, India will take on Ireland in their tournament opener on June 5. Pakistan will meet the USA in their opening clash on June 6. The fans will be expecting a similarly intense clash between the two Asian Giants that keeps them on the edge of their seats. India T20 WC Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj. Pakistan T20 WC Squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Virat Kohli In New York But Might Miss India’s Only T20 World Cup Warm-Up Game. Here Is The Reason

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Virat Kohli’s participation in the practice match will depend on how he is feeling.© X (Twitter) India’s premier batter Virat Kohli arrived in New York on Friday for the T20 World Cup, five days after his other team members but it is still not clear if he would be playing the warm-up game against Bangladesh on Saturday. “Virat Kohli has checked in at the team hotel and after a long flight, he would be taking rest,” a senior BCCI source confirmed his arrival. Having travelled for 16 hours to reach the ‘Big Apple’, his participation in the practice match will depend on how Kohli feels and if he is willing to have a hit against the Bangladesh side at the Nassau County Cricket Ground. Kohli has scored 741 runs in 15 IPL games. He doesn’t need much match practice, and he will still get three quality net sessions before the first game against Ireland on June 5. There was an optional training session on Friday morning in which Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Mohammed Siraj sweated it out under the guidance of the support staff. The team management and the BCCI have often made exceptions about Kohli linking up with the national team. He was also permitted a break before the South Africa Test series when he arrived in the ‘Rainbow Nation’ only to leave for the UK for personal reasons before rejoining the squad. He skipped the entire England Test series at home in February-March for the birth of his second child. This time too, for the T20 World Cup, the first batch of players flew in on May 25 while the second group touched down on May 28. Kohli has so far missed three sessions of training but if one goes by what the team management feels, they understand that the legend knows his stuff and his routines won’t be tinkered with. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

T20 World Cup: Want Jasprit Bumrah And Arshdeep Singh To Lead India’s Bowling Attack, Says Ex India Star

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Former India cricketer Rahul Sharma wants Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack in the upcoming T2O World Cup in the USA and West Indies with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department. The much-awaited T20 World Cup 2024 is set to begin on Sunday (as per IST) with co-host the United States taking on Canada in the tournament opener in Texas. India will take on Ireland in their T20 World Cup opening match in New York on June 5 before the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9. The Indian squad includes four spinners (Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel) and three pacers with two all-rounders. Chahal is making his comeback in the Indian team after July 2023 and was in red-hot form in the IPL 2024. With slow and turning drop-in pitches in the USA, Sharma thought that Jadeja along with Kuldeep would be a much better option than Axar and Chahal. “We don’t know how the pitches in the USA will behave but as far I know the conditions there and some of the reports that are coming I will field Kuldeep Yadav along with experienced Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department and will want Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack,” Rahul Sharma told IANS at the inaugural event of Team India Champions. “With four bowling options, and Hardik Pandya or Shivam Dube as all-rounder and fifth bowling option the Indian squad will look balanced and it will be easy for skipper Rohit Sharma to use the bowlers,” he added. When asked about who he would like to see as the finisher role for the Indian team, Rahul Sharma said, “Seeing the way Shivam Dube has batted in this edition of IPL, especially against spinners it was amazing to see and also, he can be used as a bowler too. He dominated against spinners, batted sensibly against pacers, and didn’t look in any trouble. “So, for me, he must be given the responsibility of finishing the matches. And also we have Rishabh Pant in the middle, who has the ability to change the match from any point, so I don’t think there is any concern in the bowling department, and I hope that they dominate,” he concluded. India will face Bangladesh in a warm-up match on Saturday at the newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in the USA, which is scheduled to host eight matches of the marquee tournament, including three games of India. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, penciled for June 9, will also be hosted at this venue. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

India vs Bangladesh Match Prediction, Betting Tips & Odds

Vann Hiso5 months ago5 months ago05 mins

Get to Know Who will win IND vs BAN match and toss Prediction with Head to Head stats, CBTFJSK Tips, Dream11 Prediction, Betting Rates, Live score & winning percentage. 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 : India vs Bangladesh𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 : Jun 01, 2024𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 : 20:00 IST / 14:30 GMT𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐔𝐄 : Nassau County Int. Stadium – East Meadow, United States𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 : T20 World Cup Warm Up 2024 India vs Bangladesh Betting Tips The top batter for India will be Suryakumar Yadav who tried to get into the rhythm in the IPL 2024 after recovering from an injury. Suryakumar has more than 2000 runs in the T20Is at an average of 45 and strike rate of 171. Kuldeep Yadav will be the top bowler as he will get some turn on this hard surface. He has also been in good form in the IPL 2024 picking 16 wickets.Bangladesh’s top batter will be Towhid Hridoy who performed well in the USA T20I series and he was the top run scorer in the BPL 2024 edition. Among the bowlers, Mustafizur Rahman will be the top bowler and he is in confident form after IPL 2024 and the USA series.India has a strong batting line-up and they will not give a wicket easily in the powerplay. India total runs before the 1st dismissal will be over 24.5. India vs Bangladesh TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website. IND vs BAN Match Prediction & Betting Tips The 15th and last warm-up match of the T20 World Cup 2024 will take place between India and Bangladesh. The match is scheduled to be held at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on 1st June 2024, starting at 8:00 PM IST. India will be playing its first and only warm up match while Bangladesh’s first warm up match against the United States was abandoned due to bad weather in Dallas, Texas. The Indian side will be led by Rohit Sharma while Bangladesh will have Najmul Hossain Shanto at the helm for the first time in an ICC event. Take a look at the detailed predictions for the 15th warm up match between IND and BAN. IND vs BAN Match Toss PredictionIt looks like a good batting track at this new venue. We expect the toss winner to choose bowling first on this track. IND vs BAN Pitch ReportThe pitch at the Nassau County International Stadium will offer a good batting track. Although not enough matches have taken place to judge its characteristics but from the look of it we can expect plenty of runs. Spinners will be able to pick wickets here. The average innings score is around 170. New York Weather ReportThe weather report shows a sunny and clear day in New York on Saturday. The temperature will hover around 21-26°C. Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for India vs Bangladesh 2024

‘Parting Ways With Rohit Sharma And…’: Ex-India Star On 2 Players Mumbai Indians Might Release

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Aakash Chopra feels Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan might not play for MI next season.© BCCI Former India batter Aakash Chopra feels star batter Rohit Sharma and young wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan might not play for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). There has been an uncertainity over Rohit’s future at MI ever since he was relieved of his captaincy duties by franchise. MI appointed Hardik as captain for IPL 2024 but the five-time champions endured a disastrous season, finishing at the bottom of the 10-team points table. Sharing his views on MI’s possible strategy for IPL 2025 mega auction, Chopra suggested that Rohit might’ve played his last game for the franchise. He also added that keeper-batter Kishan might be released by the team due to his price tag. However, he suggested that MI might use the ‘Right to Match’ card on Kishan if needed. “I think they will let Ishan Kishan go. They might use the ‘Right to Match’ card because 15.5 crores is just too much money. I don’t think Ishan will be retained,” the ex India cricketer said on his YouTube channel. “I think Rohit Sharma has played his last match for the Mumbai Indians, whether he doesn’t want to be retained or the franchise lets him go,” he added. “Either way, I see them parting ways. I don’t think you will be seeing Rohit Sharma in the Mumbai Indians jersey again. That’s just my understanding. I might be wrong but I feel, either which way, Rohit Sharma will not be playing for the Mumbai Indians when you start the next season,” he further explained. The next assignment for Rohit will be to lead the Indian cricket team in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. India will face Ireland in their tournament opener on June 5. Hardik’s inclusion in the squad was a matter of discussion among experts but the selectors decided to show trust in the all-rounder as he was appointed the vice-captain. Topics mentioned in this article

T20 WC Warm-Up: Chance To Test Track And India’s Second Pace Option

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

Yashasvi Jaiswal will aim to add his bit to the combination conundrum with a handy contribution while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj need to put their best foot forward during India’s only T20 World Cup warm-up game against Bangladesh ahead of their tournament opener on June 5. With all 15 cricketers being regular playing XI members of their respective IPL franchises, the team is certainly not short on game time but an assortment of 15 high- calibre players and finding that perfect combination will be key to ending India’s 13-year global trophy drought. In the warm-up game, it is expected that save for Virat Kohli, who is expected to touch down some time before the practice game, all other 14 players will be given a go as it doesn’t have an official status. It will be an opportunity to check everyone’s rhythm after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break. There will be two areas where skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid need to take a judicious call. Even if Jaiswal is in good nick, how to fit him in the side will be an issue as it would mean keeping a power-hitter like Shivam Dube out of the playing XI. It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out as it would not only allow Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open but could also open the door for Dube at the back end of the tournament. “Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination. The second teething problem for India would be to find Jasprit Bumrah’s opening pace-bowling partner. Both Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have blown hot and cold in the IPL and their form has left a lot to be desired. RP Singh, one of the heroes of India’s inaugural edition victory, feels that Hardik Pandya’s four overs will be very important. Besides, he feels that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-laid drop-in track. Talking about the length to be bowled on the tracks in the US during an early morning start, he felt variations will be important, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj. “As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi. “These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained. Against Bangladesh on a slowish track, it would also be a challenge for the middle-order as to how they deal with Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan apart from questions asked by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Rohit Sharma trains ‘bowler’ Shivam Dube for T20 World Cup ahead of India vs Bangladesh warm-up game

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

India are slated to face Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Saturday in their only warm-up fixture ahead of their opener in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which is on June 5 against Ireland at the same venue. Ahead of the match, India hosted their final practice session with former captain Virat Kohli still absent, but significant aspects remained Rinku Singh’s batting and Shivam Dube’s lengthy chat with captain Rohit Sharma. India had their practice session on Friday ahead of the T20 World Cup warm-up game against Bangladesh Just like on Thursday, India had a three-hour-long practice session on Friday morning as well. Kohli was the only squad member missing, as the 35-year-old was en route to New York to join the Indian side. Kohli had reportedly extended his period of break after the end of his IPL 2024 campaign and, hence, was not part of the first batch of players that left for the World Cup. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! India started their training session with fielding drills, focusing on flat and high catches under the watchful eyes of fielding coach T Dilip. The focus then shifted to the batting nets, where Suryakumar Yadav spent a considerable time facing throwdowns. Rohit followed in next as he faced the likes of Khaleel Ahmed, Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan and Ravindra Jadeja, with the captain even practising the reverse sweep against the spinners. During his session, he was also seen having a lengthy chat with Dube about which areas or lengths to bowl, given that it was a drop-in pitch at the Cantiague Park in New York. According to the video released by Star Sports, Rohit can be seen animatedly explaining Dube about the lengths and the type of shots batters can attempt. Dube has been picked as an all-rounder in the Indian team despite getting limited opportunities with the ball in IPL 2024 as the Impact Player reduced his role to a mere middle-order batter. After bowling in the home series against Afghanistan earlier in January, Dube rolled hi arms for only an over in IPL 2024 for Chennai Super Kings, where he also picked a wicket. Unlike Thursday, when Yashasvi Jaiswal had a light training session owing to jet lag, the India opener had a proper session at the nets as he honed his cover drives and pull shots, while Hardik Pandya, once again, had a long batting stint while having regular conversations with batting coach Vikram Rathour throughout his session. Rathour was seen explaining to Hardik about his head position, stance and footwork. Rinku Singh in fluent touch The Kolkata Knight Riders batter may have missed the T20 World Cup squad cut with selectors opting for four spinners in the line-up, leaving Rinku in the reserves category, but the left-hander looked in fluent touch at the nets. According to journalist Vimal Kumar, Rinku looked in flair at the nets. With Kohli most likely to miss the warm-up game against Bangladesh, given that he will be joining the squad on Friday evening, and will be recovering from jet lag on Saturday, India might send Rinku to bat during the match.

T20 World Cup: India Eye Redemption As Big-Ticket Cricket Touches Base In America

Danijones5 months ago09 mins

There will be the usual favourites, the mavericks, the chokers and also the unpredictable minnows — the script is familiar for a World Cup but the scale would be unprecedented when the T20 showpiece, featuring a record 20 teams, spearheads cricket’s audacious charge into the American market starting in New York on Saturday. While India would be eager to shed the baggage of near-misses, Australia would like to add another chapter to their tale of domination. For the likes of Pakistan and West Indies, the primary target would be to keep in check their tendency to implode at the most inopportune time. Defending champions England and South Africa too will be a force to reckon with, especially the latter. Given the presence of match-winners like Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada, the Proteas seem primed to get rid of the chokers’ tag. It will be a ground-breaking event not just because of the sheer size of the draw but also for the fact that it officially marks cricket’s big-ticket entry into the USA, which will host 16 of the 55 matches to be played across 29 days. The remaining 39 games will be held in the West Indies, including the Super 8 stage, the semifinals and the final on June 29. Besides the obvious favourites on paper, the likes of Afghanistan can also never be counted out to upset the apple cart at the most unexpected time. There are plots within plots that will unfold in the course of next one month. And perhaps one of the most intriguing would be the one involving India, a team that looks so destined for an ICC trophy but has somehow managed to fall short after the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph. Rohit Sharma’s reputation as captain will definitely be on the line this time. Considering the unparalleled resources and depth that the sport’s powerhouse has, most experts find it difficult to pinpoint India’s trophy drought at the word stage over the past decade. Rohit’s predecessor Virat Kohli ended his tenure as the most successful Test captain but a global trophy eluded him. Now Rohit is carrying that baggage of not winning a world title with India finishing runner-up in two ICC events over the past 12 months, including the juggernaut-ending loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup final at home. Their outdated approach in the previous two T20 World Cups cost them dearly but they are unlikely to repeat those mistakes in the Americas. The recently-concluded IPL showed how the batters are pushing boundaries and India’s high-profile line-up needs to follow that risky path. India may not have the same batting firepower as compared to some of the rival teams but as pitches in the Caribbean are expected to be spin-friendly, they surely have all bases covered. Rohit and Co. are scheduled to play three games at the makeshift facility here including the blockbuster clash against Pakistan on June 9. Drop-in pitches will be used at the brand new facility with all teams entering unfamiliar territory. India, however, will have the advantage of playing a warm-up game against Bangladesh at the same venue on June 1 before they take on Ireland in their opening league game on June 5. USA and Canada to play historic tournament opener Not far from India’s base in New York City, the first ever international cricket game was played between USA and Canada back in 1844. Cricket, however, lost out to the likes of Baseball soon after and centuries later, the sport will make an honest attempt to create a space of its own in the already matured American sporting market, starting with USA-Canada opener in Dallas on Saturday. USA are getting to make their World Cup debut as tournament co-hosts but they have demonstrated that they cannot be taken lightly, having beaten Canada and more recently full-member Bangladesh in a bilateral series. Canada, who have featured in the ODI Word Cup in the past, will also be making their T20 World Cup debut on Saturday. Uganda are the other first-timers in the competition. Defending champions England have point to prove Rohit will not be the only captain who will go into the tournament under immense pressure. Jos Buttler will also be out to prove himself after England’s shambolic performance as defending champions at the ODI World Cup in India six months ago. England were by the far the best team of the 2022 T20 World Cup and they will be determined to reassert their supremacy in the shortest format. And challenging that dominance would be the likes of India, South Africa and Australia, who have managed to retain the Ashes, win the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup in the last 12 months. It will also be a stern captaincy test for new Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh. Two-time champions West Indies, who could not qualify for the 50-over World Cup in India, are title contenders in their home conditions and their experience in the Caribbean Premier League is going to come in handy. The always unpredictable Pakistan, who made the final of the previous edition, have concerns in the batting department going into their opener against USA on June 6. Saim Ayub has not delivered for them at the top and it remains to be seen if management brings back skipper Babar Azam to open alongside Mohammad Rizwan. Also in focus would be Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, who have been brought back to the national fold from retirement, likely because of their CPL experience. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

“Whether Gautam Gambhir Becomes Coach Or Ashish Nehra…”: Ex-India Star’s Clear Message

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

File photo of Gautam Gambhir© AFP There has been a lot of speculation over the selection of Indian cricket team’s new head coach. Rahul Dravid’s tenure as coach will come to an end after the T20 World Cup 2024 and the BCCI have already started discussions with some potential candidates. Reports suggested that Gautam Gambhir was the front-runner for the job with Ashish Nehra also in the fray. As of now, it seems like the BCCI are keen of appointing an Indian coach and reports claimed that not many foreign coaches have applied for the position. Former Indian cricket team spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that whoever becomes the next coach should work on bringing “everyone together” in the side. “If I say it properly, it is a speculation, which is doing rounds…the biggest thing a coach can do is to bring everyone together, so that team plays together. So, whether Gautam becomes coach or Ashish Nehra, or whosoever gets the opportunity, hope they do better than what others before them did,” he told PTI. Harbhajan ruled himself out of the head coach race stating that he has a young family and the appointment will be a huge commitment for him. “I don’t think I will be able to give that much time. At this stage of my life I have a young family and I need to be around them and look after them. Yes, when the right time comes, I will put my foot forward and say I am ready for it,” he said. Meanwhile, Rinku Singh opened up about missing out on T20 World Cup 2024 selection. “Yes, anyone feels a little bad if he is not selected despite good performance. However, this time I could not get selected due to the team combination. It is okay, one should not think too much about things that are not in one’s hands. Yes, I was a little upset in the beginning. Whatever happened is fine. Whatever happens happens for good. Rohit Bhaiya did not say anything special. He only said that just keep working hard. There is a World Cup again after two years. There is no need to worry too much. This is what he said to me,” Rinku said in an interview with Dainik Jagran. Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

Rohit Sharma hopes for quick acclimatisation of NY pitch ahead of T20 WC

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

New York, Marvelling at the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium here, India skipper Rohit Sharma underlined the need for his team to get acclimatised to the pitch and conditions quickly ahead of their T20 World Cup opener against Ireland on June 5. Rohit Sharma hopes for quick acclimatisation of NY pitch ahead of T20 WC However, Rohit and company will get a chance to check the nature of the pitch and overall conditions when they face Bangladesh in a warm-up match here on Saturday. It’s also India’s lone training game ahead of the ICC marquee event. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! The warm-up match is important from India’s perspective because their matches will start at 10.30 AM local time and the players need to get used to day-time matches after playing under lights in the IPL for the last two months. “We’re looking to understand the conditions more importantly as we haven’t been here before,” Rohit told ICC. The Mumbaikar emphasised the need for his side to get into a “rhythm” before the real action starts, and he wanted to use this side game as a springboard. ” try and make the most of the conditions, get used to what it’s going to be like on June 5 when we play our first game,” he added. The challenge for the Indians will be to adapt to the drop-in turf here, something they don’t come across very often in international cricket. “It’s just about getting into that rhythm of getting the feel of the ground, pitch and stuff like that,” he said. Rohit was part of the first batch of India cricketers to arrive here on May 26, along with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Moving beyond the match routines, Rohit also found time to take in the beauty of the venue. “It looks beautiful. It’s quite an open ground. When we come here and play our first game, I just can’t wait to feel the atmosphere in the stadium,” he said. “It’s a decent capacity as well. Hopefully it’s gonna be a good one.” Rohit hoped that fans will throng the venue for their matches. “People in New York will be very interested in coming and watching the World Cup, as it is happening for the first time here. “I’m pretty sure all the fans across various teams are quite excited and looking forward to this tournament. And also as players can’t wait to get started,” he noted. Worry for Bangladesh ================ Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto too appreciated the excellent construction here, but he would not have forgotten Bangladesh’s shocking series defeat against the USA a few days back. The United States, largely constituted by expat players, scored a stunning 2-1 win over Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series at home last week, signalling that they are no mere pushovers. Hence, Shanto might be hoping for a quick turnaround against formidable India, even though it’s a warm-up match at this scenic stadium. “To be very honest I wasn’t expecting anything like this but we all followed on social media how the wicket looks like, how the ground would be, and we are very excited as to what is going to happen here,” said Shanto. The 25-year-old top-order batter then gushed over the venue. “It’s unbelievable. I think it’s crazy. I mean we all saw on the internet there was nothing . Now, it looks like a proper stadium and feels great,” he said. The Eastern grandstand , I didn’t expect it to be like this,” he added. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.