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Chirunandhan:

Hello and welcome to the Legends and Lads Cricket Podcast. I am Chirunandhan Srinath, your host for this week. Joining me on this podcast is my co-host, Sri Krishna Maitreya. Vijay Lokapally sir and Rakesh sir couldn't join me this week, but we are celebrating a big milestone in our journey. Today is our 100th episode, joining us is Tamanna Singh from the Byline and our 100th episode also signifies a very significant event. We have started a collaboration with the Byline. And this episode is brought to you in collaboration with the Byline, an independent online news platform, delivering credible and in-depth coverage across business, finance, sports, and more. You can check them out at www.thebyline.in for insightful news and stories that keep you informed.

Chirunandhan:

And yeah, first to the guest, rather would say our very own from the byline Tammana Singh. It's really great to have you on this podcast. Thanks for coming. And how does it how do you feel to be here?

Tamanna Singh:

Thank you so much for the lovely introduction. And I just want to start by thanking you guys for having me here and of course thanking the Byline of course for giving me this opportunity to have this conversation as a cricket fan as a person who's grown up watching sports cricket especially. This means a lot to have this conversation, especially about the ongoing Asia Cup. So I'm very excited to be here.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, and Maitreya, it is our 100th episode. I know it is so much of a personal and togetherness kind of a milestone for both of us because we have seen this journey over the last four five years and it wasn't easy. The way we had to shift our timings and schedules and balance it out with our academics and sports and cultural and everything. I think it was really tough. I it wasn't easy, but of course, it wasn't too tough as well because we loved doing this and we love talking about cricket. So it's 100th episode, Maitreya, can you believe that you have sat together maybe 90 odd times and discussed about cricket? How does it feel to record the 100th episode?

Maitri:

Yes, it's truly amazing because imagining that we are coming to the 100th episode itself is a big thing because as you've already said, four to five years back, we have started it. And back then we were just, you know, in the ninth or 10th standard. And then now we have come to college. So it's a gradual transition, you know, from the time we were around for four to five years back. We have changed a lot, you know, personally, the way we conduct the episodes, you know.

Maitri:

We have learned a lot. have been through a lot. it just the most significant factors that now we are entering into the collaboration with the byline. So it marks a new era, a new beginning. And what more than the hundredth episode to, you know, commemorate this new journey. So really excited and lots of memories for me from the last 99 episodes. It was a really enjoyable thing that we have been doing together. And I hope that our consistency and our efficiency, our hard work, everything just adds up and continues as we move forward.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, and as we have Tammana Singh joining us from the byline, I would like to ask you, since we're covering this, we're covering the Asia Cup in this episode, which match would you like to talk first, maybe the India-Pakistan match or the India-Bangladesh match?

Tamanna Singh:

I think it's only right to talk about the match which most of the public are still talking about. The most highly anticipated clash ever. I think we should talk about India versus Pakistan which took place on 24th September.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, and just to give you a kind of.

Chirunandhan:

Last episode, Maitreya and myself talked about the India-Pakistan game and we talked about how, I mean, it wasn't getting intense, like how we saw the 2022 World T20 World Cup or the 2021 when we lost to Pakistan or those intense games even from the 2024 World Cup. I feel the Pakistan team right now is a joke. I've been really informal for the first time with the cricket team in the podcast in 99 episodes. I don't think I had been that informal for any cricket team because I respect the players, but I think it's just been a joke. I've criticized them a lot and I feel as I also follow and agree with our captain, Suryakumar Yadav, as he rightly said, I feel that this India-Pakistan game is no more a rivalry because the score line doesn't go 10-1. I mean, it doesn't go 10-9 or something like that. It's just 10-1 or something like that. So would you call this or would you be anticipating personally for this India-Pakistan games more? Or would you be like, it's just another cricket match?

Tamanna Singh:

the honestly and really very much agree with what the captain said. India versus Pakistan. It's not a rivalry anymore. So rivalry basically anything where we compare two teams. Who thought similar achievements and just calling India versus Pakistan rivalry is a shame in itself because Pakistan is not a rivalry in any way. Talking about this for talking about the level of playing cricket spans.

Tamanna Singh:

nowhere in front of India with the way we play, the morals and the amount of respect the Indians have for the game sense, whatever the game sense for the behaviour on field or field. Pakistan really stands nowhere in front of us and we could really see that very clearly in the last match, India vs Pakistan. The way they behaved, that was so unprofessional and on such a big platform, we really...

Tamanna Singh:

So do not be considering Pakistan as rivals anymore at all.

Chirunandhan:

as you rightly mentioned or brought up the topic that their behavior wasn't right. So I want to talk about Harris Ruf Maitreya. I'll go to this because sarcastically, he's your favorite person from the Pakistan team. He was signaling as if our Indian jets were shot down or something like that. And even his wife had put on our Instagram story saying that we lost the match.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

but won the battle. I think it's a joke. dear, your point and your view on this.

Maitri:

Yes, as you rightly said, it is a joke because when we are playing a sport like this, we try to separate the politics from the sport because if you just compare the Pakistan team and the Indian team, none of the Indian players in any press conferences have even mentioned anything about the political situations, you know, maybe a very indirect hint, but nothing direct like what these Pakistanis are doing because I believe when there is nothing to show on the field.

Maitri:

you try to make some gestures or you try to grab the attention to yourself by doing something that is not a sportive in nature. So that is exactly what the Pakistan teams are doing and the sport in general is meant to be played so that you try to separate the politics from the sports and ease the tensions between the both countries. You know, that is what the boards have both thought of when they played the India Pakistan match. But what the Pakistan players are doing is nothing because

Maitri:

they're not performing well on the field and they try to make their own happiness you know that is what I you know by making the whole situation the only thing I can get out of it is they're trying to make themselves a center of attraction and really even if I was seeing a meme recently and in that I have seen that if that match was not live telecasted you know Pakistan would have claimed victory so I believe that's a you know that that meme

Chirunandhan:

That's a good one, Maitri.

Maitri:

you know sums up the whole psychological aspect that's going on in the Pakistan team. They're still very confident, you know that they will come to the finals and you know, they will beat India, you know, that is their level right now. And right now, live right now we are recording at the time when the Pakistan and Bangladesh match is happening. And I believe Bangladesh has a really upper hand right now. And I think the Asia Cup finals will be between India and Bangladesh. So nothing is over until it's over. So

Maitri:

Right now the match is going on and I don't think we'll be having another India-Pakistan match. But yes, I don't believe we should have an India-Pakistan match when the players on one side are really professional and on the other side are really unprofessional. And that is why I believe they didn't even really deserve the handshake. many people obviously wanted to boycott the game because we didn't want to give them the center of attraction where they try to demean our soldiers and our Indians. So that was one aspect. But yeah.

Maitri:

You don't expect at the highest level of cricket when you play, you don't expect such unprofessional behavior. You separate politics from sports and you concentrate on the sport. Try to give results for your country and play the best and walk away with respect. That is what is expected. But seeing such behavior only, you know, shows how low you can stoop for garnering views or, you know, trying to show your political views or I don't know what to say, but really disappointing from Pakistan players, you know.

Chirunandhan:

Maitreya, am still wondering if you have taken medicine or you have taken political science because you really summed it up well. Coming to you, Tamanna, the big controversy was the West Fakhar Zaman out or no? Pakistan players claim it was not out. If you were the third empire, would you give it out or not?

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah, I think whatever happened in the match was fairly out there. So I think again, Pakistan player claiming is subjective to the own thoughts and beliefs. think whatever call was given by the third empire was very fair in the spirit of the game also, but the rules also. So I very fairly stand by it and I don't have any other opinion on this. But again, I think I started with the third empire because the decision was made by the rules of ICC.

Tamanna Singh:

I think that's only fair.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah. So my next question to you is, we did see how the Indian team or the Indian captain, Surya Kumar Yadav, was shuffling his batting lineup. But yeah, we'll talk about that when we talk about the India-Bangladesh game more. But specifically when you talk about the Pakistan game, we had Shivam Dubey bowling four overs. And in the next game with Bangladesh, had bowled only one over. And we had someone like Axar Patel bowling four overs in the

Tamanna Singh:

Yes.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

is more of a bowling alternate, right? We saw him bowling four overs in the Bangladesh game, but one over in the Pakistan. I think, I do not know. I think it is more like they want to get prepared for the World Cup coming up, right? So I think they want to test out the new bowling options or how...

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

Each player in the team can be a match winner. So I think it's just throwing challenges their way and seeing how they tackle well. We will talk about the shuffle of the batting order later in this episode. But Shivam Dubey, did you, I mean, we haven't seen him bowl in a long time, right, before the Asia Cup. I think hardly bowling in the IPL, in the recent editions of IPL because of the impact player rule. And he did well, right? He got to

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah, very rarely.

Chirunandhan:

two or three wickets, believe, two wickets. And I think that 10th over when he bowled and got that same Wicket, I think that was a match turning point. Because until then, think Pakistan had that belief that they were going good. they could, if they had gone the same way, I think they could have registered have been against us in the last match. So talk about the shuffling, or I don't know what to call it. the bowlers.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

the main bowlers, don't know whom to call a main bowler, or who to call a part time bowler, or who to call a bowling all-rounder. So, your views on it, Tamanna.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah. So I feel in this match, Jaspreet Bumrah didn't have a very good day like he always does. So I think it was more also about seeing who can step up and Jaspreet Bumrah doesn't have a good day at the game because he's been the most consistent bowler for India since a very long time now. So I think in that particular match, Jaspreet Bumrah is not getting wicked through his overs. And so I think that might be a perspective to rely more on.

Tamanna Singh:

Shivam and I think also gold three hours that match. think that could be the reason or also the last India Pakistan match. These winners really had a hold on the Pakistan batters. think coming from that perspective also in this match, he won all his four overs but he went wicketless as far as I remember and I think also ended up taking a wicket. So, I think it is just about trying more options.

Tamanna Singh:

As you said, it was just Jaspreet wasn't getting any wickets nor did Varun Chakravarthy. So maybe it was just f**king the bowlers around and trying to get the result which we got from Shivam Dubey. The two wickets that he took. Hardik Pandya also took a wicket. Axar Patel went wicketless as well. So I think it was just the difference of the outcomes that happened in this match compared to the last match.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, and coming to you, Maitreya, we know that India's feeling has been really bad. 12 catches dropped in the tournament so far, counting including the Bangladesh game. I've been seeing reports and reading articles saying that there might be, you know, the Dubai and all the stadiums there, the floodlights over there and the heat and...

Chirunandhan:

all the reasons but when of course like I'm quoting an Indian player I do not remember who had said it but I think Varun Chakravarty if I'm not wrong he said that when you're playing at that highest level you can't complain about the flight lights anyway so yeah I think the fielding coach we all we all know how enthusiastic and how dynamic Dilip is Dilip sir I would call him with respect so yeah our fielding had been our catching efficiency I think it is 67 per

Chirunandhan:

67 % if I'm not wrong. And Maitreya, I think you've played the WCC3 mobile game. You had played because I remember when it came out in 2022 or 2021. I remember installing it and they introduced a new feature called manual auto, I mean manual catching. So in the gameplay, right, when there's a catch, in the previous editions, it used to be auto.

Chirunandhan:

fielding or auto catching kind of a game. But with WCC3, I think it was manual and I was really bad at timing the catch. So I the only time I saw India drop those many catches was in the mobile game, right? In WCC3. I am sure you would have played it too. And Tamanna, have you played WCC3? I know it's getting very informal.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah, actually I've not played this one game, but I think I've played many other cricket games on my phone.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, did you come across any manual fielding kind of a game plays?

Tamanna Singh:

Not really.

Chirunandhan:

Okay, if you could, if you had come across, maybe you would get my point that the dropping

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah, but I still get your point. I understand with a lot of my friends play that game.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, so Maitreya, think the only time I saw India dropping was when I was playing that game. So Maitreya, your points on your view, sorry, I mean, your view on India's fielding and I'm sure Dilip will work towards it. Dilip sir will work towards it. So yeah, Maitreya, despite that fielding drop and the poor fielding display in the field and also the dropped catches, I think we still dominated in the tournament so far. And I think any other big day

Chirunandhan:

A catch can matter right catches win matches. It's a famous slogan and we have seen how we won the 2024 T20 World Cup and of course you can't drop sitters. So Maitreya talked about the feeling of the Indian team.

Maitri:

Yes, as you rightly said catches win matches. So as you have said, well drop catches is a big thing because you don't want to drop catches when you're playing the highest level. But again, if you see the squad we are playing with right now is a relatively new one. Many of them we have seen in the IPL and for the senior team, they're making the they're in their top 20 like first 20 matches. So we can give cut them a slack, you know, a little bit, but does not mean that

Maitri:

you drop 12 catches. That's a lot because as you rightly said the 2024 World Cup changed only because of that Suryakumar Yadav's catch and if I'm not wrong, I think it was kris Srikanth who said this team right now, which we are playing with will obviously win us the Asia Cup, but it will be very tough for us to win the T20 World Cup with this team because just imagine if one of those catches you dropped was a player, you know as explosive as Maxwell or

Maitri:

Any other player you take from the other top international teams, you know, it would have gone the other way the match would have changed but since we are playing with a lot smaller teams like if you compare to India, these are very smaller teams Afghanistan or Oman or Pakistan, you know a lot smaller teams compared to the way India is playing with because as we have already talked about the way rivalries mentioned rivalries when someone is near us and those teams are Australia England or

Maitri:

West Indies come in T20 cricket I'm talking about. we since we are not playing such big teams a catch might not matter that much right now in this tournament. But as I've said maybe in the finals it will matter and since it's a relatively new team and I think some excuses like Dubai heat or the floodlights maybe just excuses to you know, take the blame away from them. But I think players have to take up responsibility because fielding is not an easy thing to live by because

Maitri:

when you're preparing for the T20 World Cup as we have seen they're switching the batting the bowling they're trying out new new things. They have to even set up all the screws properly. So I think the fielding is one place where they have to work out and in this Asia Cup. got to know. Yeah, we have a little bit weakness in the fielding. So I think as the tournaments go by we keep improving and improving. So this Asia Cup is like a check for India, you know, where else we can go wrong what all can go wrong. Let's set them all right before we go to the biggest tournament. That is a T20 World Cup.

Maitri:

So we have a ample amount of time till the T20 World Cup and we got to set everything right. But on the other side, if you see the fielding, if you come to like either saving the boundaries or runouts or Hardik Pandya took a brilliant catch in the Oman match. So there were some highlights in the fielding aspect also, but yeah, 12 drop catches is a big deal and I think they will fix it because Dilip sir is a legend in the fielding coaching. So he will find a way to fix it and

Maitri:

It will be done. I think because Indian team has the resources and the players are you know hungry to get snatch away titles wherever they go. So if these both things ambition as well as the hard work and talent if all these three things are combined together, I think we will be able to achieve success at the highest level.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, and talking about the openers, we had Abhishek Sharma and the other day Shubhman Gill getting us to a flyer start in the Pakistan game. I think even in the India-Bangladesh game, they got 72 runs, I in the power play. I think that is the highest power play score for the Indian team so far in the tournament. So they did well and then our batting didn't follow up, right? We lost the momentum as we went.

Chirunandhan:

But yeah, talk about Tamanna Abhishek Sharma. Like we'll now transition into the India-Bangladesh match as well. He scored a brilliant 74 of 38 in the Pakistan game and I think he did get another half century versus Bangladesh and there was a verbal spat with Harris Rauf in the field but I think at the end of the day it was Abhishek Sharma's supreme master class.

Chirunandhan:

that kept Pakistan away and also in the India-Bangladesh match. So talk about Abhishek Sherman, Shubman Gill, putting someone like a Sanju Samson or someone at number eight, that is a talking point that we would like to talk more about. But Shubman Gill was coming into the T20 team, and there were questions saying, how does he just walk in and become the vice captain? But we know what he's capable of.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

But I think the opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill has been so far so good. I think at this rate, our openers are really solid. I think they're ready to go to the T20 World Cup. So Tamanna, your views on Abhishek Sharma being in the form of his life.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah, I think that's the biggest positive that I look at at this Asia Cup. Abhishek Sharma, he's been phenomenal. His strike rate, way he's starting the England for India. don't pop up that consistency because he's been performing well for every match. Like last match also, India versus Bangladesh, he scored 75 with a strike rate of over 200. So I think that boosts the confidence of all the following players who are going to bat after him.

Tamanna Singh:

And think that's the biggest take away we can take this as a team. We're balanced. We're strong as a team. But I think when the game begins and how you start the game, how you carry the momentum that really adds to the confidence of all 11 players. think Abhishek Sharma especially has been starting the innings on a very high note. And I think again,

Tamanna Singh:

that's giving both the openers and the following players confidence and also the opponents losing the confidence. So that is resulting in a very bit positive for the Indian team. And he's consistently performing 74 against Pakistan, 75 against Bangladesh and in all other matches, whatever cameos he's played of 30 runs, 35 runs have come off very less balls. So his strike rate, what is aggression?

Tamanna Singh:

have really fueled India's game. I think I look at him as the biggest positive of this Asia Cup because he's proving what Indian cricket really stands for. For the stamina, the strength and the quality of cricket he plays with the sort selection, the way he times it. He's been absolutely phenomenal and the biggest positive so far.

Chirunandhan:

And I do really enjoy this fearless way of playing cricket.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah, he's so entertaining to watch as well.

Chirunandhan:

So Maitreya, Suryakumar Yadav is saying the purple patch, would you call it? Or would you say it is too soon to call that a purple patch?

Maitri:

Well, I think sometimes it happens, know, you're not playing well. It's bound to happen. But I think in the end, in the big matches, if you perform, that is more than enough. Right now, maybe a lean patch. Can't say it yet because it is just the Asia Cup again. sometimes you perform, sometimes you don't perform. So based on two, three, four matches, let's not come to any conclusion. But in the end, I think as a captain,

Maitri:

He has handled a lot on the field and off the field. He's been doing a really good job fielding wise. He has been amazing with those runouts. So you can't say just by his batting that he's having a dry patch he because he is contributing in other aspects also and his contributions really valuable because he's checking the bench strength and he is having many other aspects to deal with so his batting will come up because we have seen

Maitri:

how explosive he can be once he is in the right form. So I don't think I will call this a dry patch right now, but yeah, maybe some inconsistent performances that will I feel personally, he will soon make a big comeback. So there is nothing to feel, you know, like worried about that. I think he'll be back soon. But in other aspects, I feel Surya Kumar needs to be given a due credit. He's managing a really relatively new team.

Maitri:

It's we are right now in the transition phase. Virat Kohli, Jadeja and Rohit Sharma have retired from the T20 cricket. And this is the first major tournament we are playing without those three players. So he's having a really tough job because Indian T20 right now has a lot of people who can be in the playing level. You know, there are talks like why not Rinku Singh? Why Shivam Dubey? Why Sanju Samson? Why can't we have Dhruv Jurel?

Maitri:

So lot of, you know, to get that combination of 11 red, he has to think a lot. apart from that, he's leading a relatively new team and is making the best 15 possible for the T20 World Cup. So apart from all of this, think Suryakumar’s batting is obviously an asset to the Indian team. Maybe not today or not in the previous few matches, but I think

Maitri:

his batting right now should not be seen as a dry patch but maybe just if last two three matches may be regarded as something that happens you know sometimes it happens for any player and he will come out of it soon that's what i feel

Chirunandhan:

And coming to you, Tamanna,  we saw how the Indian batting order collapsed. So I want you to talk about the bat, the shuffling happening at the batting order. We saw Surya Kumar Yadav batted number, I mean he did not bat in the other game, right? was versus Oman, if I'm right. And we had Shivam Dubey walking at number three.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

I think these are not surprises or I don't know if call it surprises because we had last year we had Axar Patel walking in the final at number three or number four and he did well right. So I think is it right to not guess the bench strength at this level of shuffling everything because I know I believe that is it is from the Gautam Gambhir side because when he was the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders we saw how

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah.

Chirunandhan:

He made Sunil Narine open and we saw how brilliantly he had performed throughout. I mean through many IPL seasons he has been doing well with the bat. He is primarily a bowler right. So I believe it is from Gautam Gambhir's side. So do you think it should be this dynamic changes? I believe yeah we need to

Tamanna Singh:

Open your eyes.

Chirunandhan:

have that we need to test the bench strength and we need to have the different combinations and think in mind that these players need that challenges and every player in the team needs to be a match winner and then the team you then you can say okay this team is going to be the world champions and we'll probably retain the title at the T20 World Cup. So do you think it should be less intense than this or do you feel this is right I mean

Chirunandhan:

We should go straight at it. After all, it's an Asia Cup. So your thoughts on this?

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah. So I agree to the part where you said it's also important so that your, your bend strength and entire lineups would be flexible because you need to adapt to what's happening in the match at that point of time, because that's something you cannot predict. So I think you need to understand how the game is going. You need to understand the conditions and how the game is approaching what smart changes need to be made.

Tamanna Singh:

So think understanding the game is very important. And I think on that particular basis only, I hope the changes that the dynamic changes that we saw in the last match against Bangladesh were done. Because how I look at it is Shivam Dubey coming in at three, maybe was called taken so that he could come in and place the spin overs because he's a very good player against spin. So I think that was the logical reasoning behind it. But still like promoting Axar Patel.

Tamanna Singh:

over Sanju Samson, that was a bold decision because sometimes you also need to trust your big players, the big names, you need to give them some time also to show the game. So I think that was one bold call that was made. But apart from it, I believe in the flexibility of the game. So when you set a batting lineup, I think all of the batters should be very flexible into whatever position they need to bat on. So I think that's very important also. So I think it's also

Tamanna Singh:

fine to experiment like this but again when the stakes are high you need to put your trust in your big players that is key but this experimentation and when we actually get the win result also that further boosts the confidence as a team and I joined for the learning also so this learning from this Asia Cup can be obviously should be carried on forward to the following T20 World Cup matches the tournament so I believe

Tamanna Singh:

key are these flexibility, these dynamic changes to a certain extent, they're also really important because that gives the level of maturity of and game sense to each batter also understanding the situation of the matter as well.

Chirunandhan:

Yeah, and coming to you, Maitreya, the spin department is doing really extraordinary. We saw how Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarty straight after the par play getting those wickets. And we even saw Kuldeep Yadav almost getting a hat-trick two in two wickets. And we know that he's a man of hat-tricks because I've been following him or maybe seeing I've watched his highlights of under 19 when he played.

Chirunandhan:

Long long back under 19 he got a hatrick versus Australia. I'm not wrong and then he got a hattrick even in the senior men's cricket teams. So I'm sure you I anticipated an hatrick when Kuldeep took two into wickets right. So yeah talk about the spin department how good it's doing and I'm sure the spinners helped us in Caribbean

Chirunandhan:

last year and we did win the World Cup and I think the Indian team is the only team which believes in its spinners more than its paces. I won't say more than paces, I won't draw a comparison on that but I say we do give a lot of emphasis on spinners because of our subcontinent soil and the conditions here but yeah we do have a lot of faith on in our spinners and Varun Chakravarthi he did have ups and downs and is doing well and Kuldeep Yadav we know how

Chirunandhan:

He changed his technique and it's been a long time he's come into the team. After a long time he's been performing over the last year so yeah talk about the spin department of our team.

Maitri:

Yes, as I rightly said, even I believe that India is the only team that nurtures spinners more than the fast bowlers because if you see even our history, we have if you see the most number of wickets taken in tests for India is by Anil Kumble and then down the order. Yes, we have pacers also, but again, it's Ravi Ashwin and then Jadeja. So even if you come to right now other T20 teams.

Maitri:

they're more relying on the fast bowlers more than a spinners because many believe that spinners can be hit easily for in a T20 match because a T20 matches very different from the test cricket because every ball you try to go for a maximum or a boundary. So in such type of high intensity games, it is mostly reliable that we back onto a fast bowler because they can have they have many more variations and they have those far Yorkers or short balls.

Maitri:

and in the heat of the moment  the fast bowler will be more reliable especially in the death overs but if you come to a spinner he can have a off day but a spinner's off day is really more dangerous compared to a fast bowler's because if a spinner does not have  a good day he can be hit for many boundaries compared to a fast bowler and it can go really wrong so that is where I think many countries you know especially if you see

Maitri:

the many countries other than the Asian subcontinent because I believe even Bangladesh has good number of spinners like previously they Shakib AL Hassan and even now they have many spinners but I think it's only Asian countries that nurture the spinners because of the conditions I believe as you have said and coming to Kuldeep and Varun Chakraborty I think it's really a fantastic job they're doing because India right now is not having those many fast bowlers because Bumrah

Maitri:

Yes, Bumrah can't play all the matches continuously and he's the only senior bowler there right now in the fast bowling department. Hardik Pandya, yes, he is a fast bowler and he's performed really well. But compared to the other bowlers, if you see, don't have any Siraj here. We don't have Shami. So experience wise, Kuldeep, yes, he has been playing from a long time and has come back into the team after a long time. So even though you can say he's really experienced,

Maitri:

He's also little bit new because he's back after a long time and Varun Chakravarthy, he's more of a IPL guy, I would say, because personally, I've seen him more in the IPL and then again, on and off, he's been in and out of the T20 team and is not a regular kind of guy. So I believe Varun Chakravarthy is also a pick by Gautam Gambhir is what I personally felt and they have been performing well because in the end, what gets you the results is what matters and it's not the big names out there.

Maitri:

because Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy that combo I don't think before the Asia Cup I would have thought they would have been more effective because I believe in like if you look at a squad before any tournament you'll want to you know be impressed by the big names out there but in the end I believe the players who perform you however they are even though they are not been performing as good as what we were expecting them to do

Maitri:

in the right matches or when they're picked up, if they show their skill, I think that's more than enough. And that's what the Indian spin department is doing. And in T20 cricket, believe the spinners are also quite important because in the middle overs, the spinners, I believe, who control or manage the run rate from going explosive. So that is where they come into play. And Kuldeep Yadav has those kind of variations, I think, where batsmen go bonkers. So if he continues to, you know, giving these kind of performances,

Maitri:

I think he'll be really incredible.

Chirunandhan:

And adding context to your previously whatever you said, Maitreya, we can't write off a squad just like that because I remember how we talked about the T20 World Cup squad of the Indian team. it doesn't really matter about the big names, right? We had six spinners in the squad. If I'm not wrong, I don't know. I don't trust my memory so well. But I think we had more spinners than our bowlers. We didn't have Siraj. We had Arshdeep.

Chirunandhan:

two or three, we didn't have the big names, but yet we won the World Cup and talk about the recently concluded IPL as well, right? Everyone wrote of RCB and we saw how their players were all match winners. They didn't have the big names as always the team had, right? They had Chris Gale, ABD  and it's always about the hype, it's always about the players, but this time I think it was different. So let's not write off a squad just because of its

Chirunandhan:

big names and I think small names but team effort at the end is what gives you the results right. So my last question to you Tamanna before we wrap up this episode there's been a lot of talk about Sanju Samson. Is there an injustice to Sanju Samson. Do you believe?

Chirunandhan:

that he should be given a chance to bat in the top order. yeah, given that there are only 11 players who can play in any cricket match. when you have someone like Abhishek Sharma, can't substitute him. mean, sub him out and get Sanju Samson to open. You couldn't really fit in him in the top order because you had Surya Kumar, you had others. And you believe that, yeah, he can bat in the

Chirunandhan:

middle order and that's why you put him at middle order. So your take on this, do you believe or do you think this is injustice to Sanju Samson or you just think that this is how cricket is played and of course it is the Indian team where there is so much competition, there is not so much pressure and there is so much of, so many things happening out there. yeah, over to you, Tamanna.

Tamanna Singh:

Yes, competition. Yeah.

Tamanna Singh:

Yeah. So I believe when it comes to Sanju Samson, the word injustice has always been used out of sentiments, like his fans, because I think it all stemmed early on when he was not selected during the tours and the bilateral series and all. So I think that's where it all began. But I think with respect to this Asia Cup, I really do not feel that way anymore, especially with respect to Sanju Samson, because

Tamanna Singh:

Getting a position in the team in the 11th right now is itself such a tier thing because the amount of competition we have in India, it's crazy because so many big names have missed out on selection. Shreyas Iyer not getting, not even getting selected for the Asia top. Ruturaj Gaikwad not being selected. So the big names missing out on itself and against that.

Tamanna Singh:

Sanju Samson getting selected being a part of the 11th. Yeah, the team balance, the battle corner has been inconsistent. Yes. But I think it's all with respect to what's happening in the matches and where he's better required to play. Because I think the, as we spoke about how the opening partnership has become the biggest positive of India. Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill opening the game. So don't know that this set that is working for India. I think that

Tamanna Singh:

then we should not be experimenting with that at least. are certain positions that have been fixed. So, you need to fulfil your role also in the game. I think that has been very clearly outlined also. So, think injustice, there's no injustice being done. There have been up and down with batting order and the sequence. But again, that's very subjective to what's happening in the match. And that's

Tamanna Singh:

The justice that players need to do whatever position they have been called to bat at because on big platform you are getting selected or getting chances and so biggest justice you can get and the justice you need to do is play well for your team. I think that's all.

Chirunandhan:

Well, you put it out very nicely. And this will bring you to the end of the 100th episode of the Legends and Lads Cricket Podcast in collaboration with the Byline. You can check out their website, www.thebyline.in. And thank you, Tamanna, for coming. It really, it's special to have you as the guest for 100th episode.

Tamanna Singh:

Thank you so much.

Chirunandhan:

I won't call you a guest because you're coming from the violin and we are collaborating. So you are our very own. So thank you, Tamanna, and thank you, Maitreya, for coming.

Tamanna Singh:

Thank you so much. Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity. I really loved having this conversation with two big cricket fans here. It really meant a lot to me. But this platform is just amazing. And thank you so much for presenting me with this opportunity to have a conversation with you guys.

Chirunandhan:

Thank you. Welcome. Yeah, thank you again for coming here.

Maitri:

Yeah, thank you.