Cricket- 'Resilience and belief': Ajit Agarkar points out Team India's strengths ahead of WTC Finals
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He recalled India's series against Australia and England while explaining his point.
With just over a week to go for the juggernaut clash between India and New Zealand for the World Test Championship finals, former Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar pointed out two of Virat and Co.'s biggest strengths.
According to Agarkar, resilience and belief are Team India's biggest strength as they head into the final clash at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
“I think a couple of things, resilience or just belief in your ability or in your own team,” Agarkar said on Star Sports show Game Plan.
He recalled India's series against Australia and England while explaining his point.
“Look at the England series at home, we expected India to win. Yes, the conditions suit their (India) wicket or their spin bowling, but they lost the first Test comprehensively. They came back and beat England really well in the next three Tests,” Agarkar added.
Ajit Agarkar, who featured for Team India for 26 Tests, 191 ODIs and 4 T20Is, felt that the series against Australia gave India players like Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan and Mohammed Siraj.
“Look at Australia (series), they (India) lost that first Test, bowled out at what 36 – losing the host of your first team players, whether it's your best batsman in the team, Virat Kohli, your best bowler in the team, Mohammad Shami, those sort of losses. By the end of the series, you had a Shardul Thakur, T Natarajan, Mohammad Siraj bowling for you, against a full-strength Australian team and you still managed to find a way to win in those situations. So, the depth in that team – even though there was not a lot of experience – the guys that came in had enough belief that they could turn up. That’s been India’s strength,” Agarkar said.
“There have been some tricky situations. Apart from those two Tests in New Zealand, in general, if you look at India’s records in recent times, they’ve always competed, if not won and found ways to win with different players, which has been their strength,” he added.