Aoba Tanaka 
India captain Rohit Sharma expressed his dissatisfaction with the disconcerting bounce on the virgin drop-in track at Nassau County ground following their victory against Ireland. Despite the straightforward win, the pitch conditions left Rohit reflecting on team selection strategies for the upcoming T20 World Cup match against Pakistan on Sunday.
In a candid chat during the post-match presentation ceremony, Rohit admitted that having four spinners in the 15-man squad might not be practical if the pitches in the T20 World Cup are similar to the one encountered in New York.
Rohit, who scored 52 off 37 balls before retiring hurt due to a delivery from Ireland pacer Josh Little that bounced unexpectedly, expressed concerns about the variable bounce. “Yeah, just a little sore (the arm). I said it at the toss as well. Quite unsure of what to expect from the pitch. Not aware of what it is to play like on a pitch that’s five months old,” he remarked.
Reflecting on the match, Rohit noted that the pitch did not settle even in the second innings. “I don’t think the wicket settled down even when we batted second. There was enough for the bowlers,” he said, emphasizing the challenges posed by the conditions.
The Indian pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, capitalized on the conditions, bowling Ireland out for 96 in 16 overs. Bumrah, who took 2/6 in 3 overs, seemed pleased with the pitch. “Coming from India, with the ball seaming around, I wouldn’t complain when there’s help for bowlers. In this format, you have to adapt to the conditions, you have to be proactive,” Bumrah stated.
Rohit acknowledged the contributions of the pace bowlers and highlighted the challenges with the selection of spinners. “Having brought four spinners, Rohit isn’t sure if they would be required in New York at least. As far as the conditions in West Indies are concerned, the 4-spinners strategy might not come handy when India travel to that part of the globe too,” he said.
“Don’t think we can play four spinners here (laughs). When we picked the team, we wanted to have the balance. If conditions are there for seamers, we wanted to have that. Spin will play a part later on (West Indies). Today was a four-seamer pitch and we still managed to get two spinners who are all-rounders.”
Looking ahead to the high-stakes match against Pakistan, Rohit expressed uncertainty about the pitch conditions. “I don’t know what to expect from the pitch, to be honest. We will prepare as if the conditions are going to be like this (for Pakistan game). This is going to be a kind of game where all XI of us will need to contribute.”
On his own performance, Rohit was satisfied with his start to the tournament. “It was scratchy, but good to spend some time in the middle and understand what kind of shots to play there.”
Ireland skipper Paul Stirling acknowledged the Indian bowlers’ precision. “We needed to put a bit of pressure back on the Indian bowlers. They didn’t really miss that often. Their groupings and lengths were outstanding,” Stirling admitted.
As India gears up for their clash against Pakistan, the team is focused on adapting to the unpredictable conditions, ensuring every player is ready to contribute.
