Chandika Hathurusinghe & Paras Mhambrey speak ahead of India v Bangladesh

Chandika Hathurusinghe & Paras Mhambrey speak ahead of India v Bangladesh in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

[Reporter:]

The first question has to be about Shakib Al Hasan. We saw him doing some long batting session actually yesterday and then some running. How is he feeling now and is he ready to go?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

He had a good batting session yesterday and did a little bit of running between the wickets. We did a scan today, so we are waiting for the results. At the moment he is okay. We haven't tried with bowling yet. So, he will come tomorrow morning and we will assess him again and then make a decision.

[Reporter:]

If he is not 100% then what will be the situation?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

If he is not ready to play, we won't risk him. But if he's ready, then there's a chance of him playing tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

Batting is a major concern for Bangladesh in this World Cup. So, it looks like it is a very batting-friendly track. So how do you prepare yourself for this kind of wicket?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

Yeah, this wicket is probably the best batting wicket we came across so far. And even the practice wickets were similar, really good. We had a really good net session yesterday. As you rightly said, we haven't put up complete batting performance, or to that matter, complete performance with the ball and bat so far. So, we are expected to do as a complete performance. And we know that when we play as a team and we perform to our capabilities and we have beat big teams. We have done well in the past. So, I think fingers crossed, we are due for one of those days.

[Reporter:]

This has been a week of upsets in the World Cup and Bangladesh has had a pretty good record against India if you consider the last 12 months or so, they beat them in a one-day series 2-1 and then the Asia Cup. So, it's 3-1 between the two World Cups. So, how much does that inspire the team in the sense of having lost two matches in the World Cup? That's question number one.

And question number two is, do you think the dependence on matchups, is it hurting the batting order in the sense that Tawhid is batting, Tawhid Hridoy is batting at seven sometimes, you had Shanto off his position. They said that they haven't complained about it, but you think sometimes even for young players batting out of position can be a little difficult?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

The first one is that we have had success in recent past against India, but then when you come to the World Cup it's a very different game altogether. As I said, we are hoping that we will have a complete game against them, that we need to perform to our potential and India is probably the in-form team this World Cup and if they have not so good game and if we play to our potential, I think it's going to be a good game for us and we are capable of doing that. We have proved so that confidence and that memory is going to serve us well to start [well] at the start. So, we need to start well.

Coming back to the batting order, the batting order, we go by according to our strategy as well as what we think is the best combination for that game. Those things that we have communicated to the players very well in advance. We have trained the way we wanted to play as well. And as you rightly said, no one has complained. There are successes and there are sometimes it does not work. So, we are going to stick to our plan for this World Cup.

[Reporter:]

Are you missing Tamim Iqbal in your top order?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

He is not here, so I can't answer that whether we are missing him or not. Unfortunately, he was not ready the time we were selecting. So obviously his record as a player is good, but the same thing is I don't know whether we are missing him or not, because we have players that here we have trusting that they will do a job for us.

[Reporter]

What will be the bowling plans? Is there any new inclusions in the XI?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

Yeah, we have a plan against India. Probably we have a different combination according to the wicket as well as the opposition.

[Reporter:]

Considering the boundaries and the wicket, what will be the ideal combination for tomorrow's game?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

Ideal combination on a wicket like this, you need to have an extra bowling option, because wicket is going to be good, and India is a very strong batting lineup. So that's one consideration we are thinking of.

[Reporter:]

One year back it seems like the team is settled and they are focused about their game, they are motivated about the World Cup. But I don't know, is it too early to say, but after the three games it seems that they are disappointed about their performance and their team is not settling, the batting order is not settled. Do you feel the same that the team is not settled as it was one year back?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

I don't think this team is unsettled. We are not performing to our expectations and I know definitely players wanted to do better than what they have been doing. As I said before, we haven't had a complete performance with the batting group. Some games some perform and we haven't put complete batting performance yet. So hopefully this game, because we got a really good pitch to bat on, and we are expecting them to have a good complete batting performance tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

Apart from Shaqib, is everyone else fit and available for selection?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

That's right. Yeah, everyone is available for selection.

[Reporter:]

And just one other question, if I may. What has impressed you about India so far? Where do you see them being particularly strong going into tomorrow's game?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

I think every area they have covered. They got strike bowlers up front. Bumrah is almost come to his best as good as we have seen in the past. And they have good spinners, experienced spinners going in the middle overs. And their batting, especially the top order is firing and it's scary the way they are playing at this stage without much fear and it looks like they are enjoying their cricket at the moment and their home World Cup and there is a lot of support. So, I think overall it's a really good team.

[Reporter:]

Will you leave it to the captain to take the final call whether he plays tomorrow or not?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

Any injury situation, first, it's the medical staff. They give us their opinion. And either they're green light or red light. They give us education on what the players are, where the players are at. And then if they think that there's no risk and that the player get the choice of playing the game or not, then it comes to captain and the coach to think that is that a risk in terms of playing, in terms of tactically, whether if it is not 100% or you can do one discipline or both discipline. Yeah, that's how the process works.

[Reporter:]

India has not yet batted first in this World Cup. How do you see your chances of winning against India? What would you like to do if you win the toss?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

I'm actually not playing, so my captain will decide that. Whether it's bat first or bat second, it all depends on the conditions. As well as - yeah, if you win the toss, we will decide what's best for us. We don't go by what India is good at or they're not good at. We will look at our competence on that.

[Reporter:]

Bangladesh beat India in the World Cup back in 2007. There has been some 11, 15, 19, there have been losses. And obviously, 2016 was another incident in the T20 World Cup. But does these incidents or these matches, does this inspire the team to think about it that we have to beat India? We haven't done that in a long time.

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

I don't think that has any relevance when we come tomorrow. It's about tomorrow's game. We are all motivated to win every game from now on. Because of what happened in this recent last two weeks, or last week or so, in this World Cup, it's really open. So, we are all inspired by that. And then we have six games to go. And we still think that we can win those six games. That's the motivation and then the inspiration for us to come tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

Just one last thing. Tanzim, Shakib, Nasum, and Mahedi, they did well against India in that one game at the end, the Asia Cup match, where Bangladesh beat India. So, do they have any chance, any one of them, like they have done well against India, they probably know how to beat India, so is there a chance to bring up any one of them in the 11?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

If they know how to beat India, I will definitely ask them how to do that. But they have done well against India that game. We will consider all that tomorrow. Any hint or any ideas that you all know; I am willing to listen.

[Reporter:]

Are you satisfied with the Bangladesh pace unit, like how they performed in the last three matches and do you think their pace unit will be the key in tomorrow’s match?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

Yeah, you're right to say that Bangladesh's fast bowling unit can be key tomorrow, given the conditions of this wicket. And they have done well in the past, so if you consider that and their performance in the last two or three games, probably they are the ones who will say that they haven't done enough or they are not happy with it. And they have spoken about it. They can do better than that because they have done in the past.

[Reporter:]

Sanjaya Manjrekar, you know him very well, I think. He said that it is impossible for Bangladesh if they deliver their 100% or more to beat India, despite Bangladesh had beaten India from last December to September thrice in four times. So, do you think that Bangladesh is in such a bad condition to beat India if they give their 100% in the next match?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

I can only ask my team to do 100% and our best. And then after that I have little control of what the outcome is. But if we do well to our potential, I think we can beat any team.

[Reporter:]

Do you think it is the ideal surface for someone like Litton Das who is a very good timer of the ball?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

This wicket, I think it's a very good wicket for any good batsman. It's a challenge for the batters, any cricketer, first 10 balls, first 20 balls. I think anyone getting in is silly to not score runs or just throw wicket away. Getting a start is a key. They have good bowlers and we have good bowlers so anyone who gets to a start on this wicket I think will hurt any opposition.

[Reporter:]

You're from a very lovely part of the subcontinent, Sri Lanka. It's a lovely country, but now you're coaching Bangladesh, where emotions run high, India as well. I heard a good thing that you haven't learned the language yet, so probably you'll stay away from all the drama that happens in the media and the television.

But how are you handling just that general chaos and the passion of Bangladesh coming from Sri Lanka?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

The passion, That's the beauty of cricket, isn't it? That is this part of the world. And that's why we all here and I love that. And it's not going to affect me, because I'm doing a job. I can't be emotional and do my job. And my job is to keep the emotion away and give the players the best opportunity to prepare for the game. But we enjoy the passion and they are same all over the subcontinent.

[Reporter:]

There was lots of rubbish going on two or three years before, the Mauka, Mauka and all that. So, there was a bit going on between the two teams, especially the fan side. So, are you kind of a coach to use that to motivate your players, come on, you got to do it against India? Or you are the type, don't get into all that, just take care of all the drama. Which type of coach are you?

[Chandika Hathurusingha:]

I think Bangladesh journalists have heard this from before from me. I mean, if you're not motivated to play for your country, you don't need any other motivation. So, he shouldn't be here.

[Reporter:]

Three good victories. Is there a thought being given to rotation of the bowling attack or is it about playing the best team for every game throughout the World Cup?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

Yeah, I think it's important to maintain this start really. So as of now there is no discussion of kind of rotation from our point of view. I think it is important to carry this momentum for the next game as well. No thought as such.

[Reporter:]

Coach here, as a team management at a bowling unit, how hard is it to keep a bowler like Shami out of the league given the way he is bowling in the nets troubling his own Indian batsmen?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

See, honestly, it is never an easy decision. But I think the conversations are around, we had a clear chat with him. Whenever we select a squad, the messages from us is very clear. That we pick a squad we feel is the best for that wicket. And I think sometimes you will miss out. Someone like him is missing out, someone like Ash will miss out. And I think that's the communication that we have with him, we are very clear. Difficult decision, honestly, even with the quality that he brings to the team, new ball, death, it is difficult to take that decision. But you have to take that decision, you only have eleven on the field.

[Reporter:]

As a bowling coach you have had to work with a depleted unit throughout your tenure and now come the big World Cup, how good is it to have both Bumrah and Kuldeep working with a full-strength bowling unit?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

Ask me about it man. It has been tough. I thought the last few years, couple of years, it has been really tough. It is tough to miss someone like Bumrah. You have seen him in the last three games that he has played. What he brings to the table - he is a world class bowler. He gives you that breakthrough that you require in the power plays. He's well adapted to bowl in the middle overs and he's a top gun dead bowler.

I think in that sense, we really missed him. Glad that he's shaping well. And I think we must credit the staff back at the NCA, the medical department, the physios out there, and out here as well. And they really worked hard behind the scenes for the last few years, from where he was and to get him out here. So, credit goes to them as well.

But as you said, I think it's a big bonus to having someone like him.

Kuldeep, with Kuldeep, obviously, the last few years, he's worked on certain things. We've worked with him on certain things in terms of his bowling, his action, and you can translate that in the way he's bowled. His speeds have gone up. His accuracy is up there, hitting those lengths consistently. And I think he really complements in between. That's a wicket-taking option as well. He is a wicket-taking option for us. And he's done that,

So, in combination, both, I think gun bowlers for us.

[Reporter:]

We have seen two big upsets in this World Cup. Does it make you take Bangladesh seriously even though they have not performed really well in their last two matches?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

I think honestly, I thought when you enter a World Cup, every team will pose you a challenge. So, from our perspective, maybe any team I don't think we'll take anyone [lightly]- that's the discussion that we had. That's one of the point that we spoke about can happen, but from our point of view, every game - because we are the only side playing on nine different teams, nine different venues, nine different surfaces that offer different challenges for us. So, we want to prepare for that. So maybe the Bangladesh or maybe Netherlands, I think we want to treat that game equally important.

[Reporter:]

Continuing with the last question. Bangladesh obviously won three of the four matches within the last four matches, but the vibe already here is that India's clear favourites and obviously World Cup is a different stage, India is playing very well. But do you feel that if Bangladesh wins tomorrow, it will be an upset or do you think it will just be like other games?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

See, honestly, it's a game, right? What you really come out here to do is to execute your plans to the best of our ability. That's a game. It's going to be a tough side. As I just mentioned, every game for us is important, every opponent for us is important. We are not even looking at that side. I think what we want to focus on is what we are going to achieve in this game. We have our plans, if we execute our stuff, we will win. And that's the only thing that we are talking about. The discussion that we have in the team is nothing else but the opponents really.

[Reporter:]

How do you see Bangladesh's pace bowling unit and how do you compare with them, with the world class bowlers?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

To be honest, Taskin has shown, I've seen whatever I've seen of Taskin in the last few years. I think he is one of the good fast bowlers that you see worldwide. He's done, played well, he's performed in different venues, different surfaces, maybe Bangladesh. Never an easy kind of surface out there, not too seamer friendly but whatever he has done, he is a really good bowler.

But others, I think when you are part of an international squad, you have to be good to represent your country. So, in that sense, others have been good enough. And spinners as well, Tas - you have both the Mehdis, who have done well. It's a good squad and it's a good bowling attack.

[Reporter:]

After your match with Pakistan, PCB had made a complaint with ICC that there was a misconduct with Pakistani players. How do you see these complaints coming from PCB? They also raised the issue of visas for journalists and fans. Do you think it is because of the losing?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

Honestly - I am the wrong person to answer that question. Really, I have not even heard what you are saying. That's not something, it's not my domain so really, I can't answer that.

[Reporter:]

About Kuldeep - you spoke about basically the technical aspect. Did you also work with him on the mental side because he was really down when you took over. His performance was down, then it really, gradually it was – was there any mental aspect also you worked on?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

You need to, right? At this level there is so much pressure that you go through, you need to understand. I can't go too much in depth of what we really spoke, but I said from the mental perspective, you need to work with the mental aspect as well.

As a bowler, the international level, go through a lot of swings. It's a high-pressure game that you are representing, when you play – representing your country. And the pressure is going to be there. I think it's important to how do you deal with the pressure. There are different ways to deal with it.

But that, other than the technical aspect, your mental aspect is important. It's important to be in the right frame of mind, in the right space, if I feel when you're playing every game. And that's something we worked on. It's a combination. He's understood where we come from, what are the areas we need to improve and I think you need to give credit to him, even after that he played so much long - he played a fair bit of international cricket prior to that.

But to understand to why we are saying certain things and work on it. I think you compliment him. That's important. He's worked on it. We are there to help him and he's taken a help.

[Reporter:]

[in Hindi]

This is the first match of the season on the ground. What is the difference between this and the previous match? It has rained well in this part. So, what is the difference in terms of wicket?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

I think, one thing is that it has been a different challenge for us. Like I said, we're playing on nine different venues. We know that there will be nine different surfaces. Weather-wise, conditions will be different. We were in Nagpur, so it was hot. We're playing in Dharamsala, so it will be cold. So, I think what we know that this will happen.

As a team we think that this surface, prior to this, in this month, if there were any matches or not, data is important to see what happened in past games. But if you look at this surface, it has been a good surface. Overall, consistently, in any match, whether you play T20 or one day, it has been a very good surface.

As a bowling unit, I feel it is a challenging surface. Because the ball comes on the bat very well. It is a small ground, comparatively, you will see other venues, comparatively it is a small ground. It is a high altitude. So, I think here, more boundaries will be scored, the sixers will be more. So, it is challenging.

And we talk about how we will accept the challenge, what things we can focus on. We will do what we have to focus on.

So, I think we know how the surface is going to be. Now it is how we accept the challenge and we can focus on what we have. Nothing else is in our hands.

[Reporter:]

You said earlier, you weren’t giving any thought to rotation at this stage - how hard is it to leave out a player of Ashwin's quality and how is he reacting at the moment not being in the team?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

Yeah, it's a really tough one I think when you have a world-class bowler within amongst your 15 and unable to - we don't get an opportunity to give him a great game. That's a tough call, you have to take that tough call. But I think for us, the conversation has always been around the team centric, and what's all the decisions that we've taken, not only prior to this game, but the last few years. I think conversation will always be around.

We go with the side what is the best, obviously the surface, depend on what surface we're playing, but the best combination that we feel will be helpful on that surface. In that sense, he's been a great lad. He understands that, he's a great team guy. I've never seen him grumpy; I haven't seen him complaining any time for any of the last few years that he's been with us.

So having someone like that, a team guy in a team really helps. And I think credit goes to him. Even after so many years, I think he's there, he wants to do well for the team, he turns up every practice session, goes through the rigorous grinds and he keeps bowling. So, I think he's a great team man and I must compliment that.

[Reporter:]

There is no guarantee whether Shakib Al Hasan will play tomorrow or not? But stats wise, Indian batsmen have been most vulnerable to left-arm spinners, as against right, off-spin, or leg-spin. Why is that so, and is there any method, or strategy to counter him?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

See, when you play as a batsman, sometime or somewhere or the other, you will be against someone. If you look at match-ups, there'll be some match-up saying that he's weak against this, he's good against that player, bowler especially. But honestly, I don't think any conversation that we have out here, we know he is a good player. He has done well for Bangladesh, he is a champion player, he is handy, he bats for the team, he bowls well, he bowls in the powerplay, he's a quality bowler and I think you got to give that to him.

But for us really it doesn't really matter. I think for us is that day what we do in terms our preparation, our execution and we have a game plan.

So, I honestly believe and that's what when I voice the - it’s from the team's point of view as well. I think if you execute your plans to the max, you're going to do well. And I think that's all that we're focusing about. Our execution of our plans and that's it, nothing else.

[Reporter:]

This World Cup, the middle overs period has been kind of that swing period where teams have collapsed a couple of times at least. So is that giving a cue to our batting unit to kind of go hard in the first few overs like Rohit's template, he's kind of going after the bowling right from the start in a couple of games you have seen. So, is that the method behind the approach in the first few overs that you know that's the best time to accumulate runs and set the tempo for the rest of the innings?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

Sometimes it happens, sometimes it's good because especially on a surface when a new ball comes onto the bat nicely. It's also centre-oriented in terms of what surface you're playing. I think that surface will behave differently in different phases. And the last few games, it's got a little slower. You know, whatever we played, it got a little slower in the middle overs. It wasn't coming on to the bat as well as the earlier bit.

But yeah, sometimes you'll have to take those opportunities, those chances. And I think the best phase is with the limited fielders outside the 30-yard circle, new ball. I think that's the best time.

Sometimes, it's not a strategy as well.

It's not a special strategy that we're going with, looking at what has happened in the earlier games. That's something that's what we approach. That's our approach has been throughout for the last few years.

So, there's nothing different in terms of because the surface has behaved differently that we are going to approach this tournament especially differently, no. I think that's been our plan earlier and we are going to execute that.

[Reporter:]

Your observations about Surya, the way he is batting in the nets and countering bowlers and do you think he is ready for his maiden World Cup game?

[Paras Mhambrey:]

Surya is a champion; he is a match winner and he's shown you. The last innings that he played, the way he toils - he is a 360 player that we have been talking about. He is a difficult batsman to bowl, especially - anywhere.

I think if you look at the fine leg area, you need to get it covered, third man area get covered, you bring covers up, you start playing out there. So, he is a 360 player, a difficult batsman to bowl to. And yes, it's a difficult decision, I said. It's like Ashwin or like Shami, Surya is a quality player. It's difficult to miss someone like him in the team or get him. But you need to create an opportunity, a place for him to play.

The question then asked is, who do you replace him with? So that's always a challenge. People always say, he should be playing. I think he should be playing. But the question sometimes is, in whose place? I think that's a challenge.

So, you don't have a slot for him right now. But we all know what he brings to the table.

He is a match winner for you and I am sure he will get an opportunity. If opportunity arises, he will get his game.

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