Rahul Dravid and Temba Bavuma pre-match press conference India vs South Africa, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023

India Coach Rahul Dravid and South Africa Captain Temba Bavuma pre-match press conference (English and Hindi) India vs South Africa, ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. 

India Coach Rahul Dravid

South Africa Captain Temba Bavuma 

Rahul Dravid pre-match press conference (English and Hindi) transcript

[Reporter:] Since KL Rahul is the new vice-captain around, what is the next strategy with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, especially in Eden Gardens?

[Rahul Dravid:] Yeah, so he's the vice-captain because Hardik is injured. So, he has become the vice-captain.

[Reporter:] Is the team in good shape to win?

[Rahul Dravid:] No, I mean, I think things are going pretty well. Played seven good games of cricket. And the team is playing really well. We know we are up against a team that is also playing some good cricket in this tournament. So, we are really looking forward to this game tomorrow and it is always a great privilege and a pleasure to play in the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. So, as a team we are really looking forward to the game tomorrow.

[Reporter:] As you were playing South Africa, many are saying that this match could be the dress rehearsal of the World Cup final. How do you see this match against South Africa who have won 6 out of 7 matches in this year's tournament?

[Rahul Dravid:] We're not really worried about what many are saying. We are focused on this game. We know it's one of the league games in the tournament. What happens from here on in is still two or three games to go. And both the teams, whether it's us or whether it's South Africa, we still need to earn the right to be there in Ahmedabad.

No, we are not seeing it as that way. We are just seeing it as, like I said, answered the earlier question, a game in the league phase against a team that is playing some very good cricket and looking forward to it.

[Reporter:] Just wanted to know the thought process behind picking Prasidh Krishna as Hardik's replacement because you have the option of picking someone like Tilak Verma … If you can explain the thought process.

[Rahul Dravid:] I think it's a pretty obvious thought process. After Hardik has been injured, which he has been for the last two or three games, and then obviously didn't play a couple of the games in the Australia series as well. We have played with a combination which has been three fast bowlers and two spinners. And yeah, in our reserves, in the guys sitting outside in the 15, we had a backup for the spin. We had a backup for the spin, we had a backup for the batting, and we had a backup in the bowling all around the category. So, we did recognize that if this is a combination we're going to take, and if there is an issue of an illness, or a small niggle, or an injury, then we need to have a backup for that. It also allows us to play other combinations. It doesn't mean that we can't play other combinations. But if this is the one combination that which we have gone with recently, then yeah, that is the one area which we possibly hadn't backed up with the injury to Hardik Pandya.

[Reporter:] [inaudible]

[Rahul Dravid:] I mean, I don't think so. I don't think we are going to think about it too much. I think there's only been one game where we've probably felt the need for the number eight and nine which was a game against England in Lucknow and actually our number eight and nine - after the seventh wicket the next couple of wickets gave us 46 critical runs on a tricky wicket.

So, I think we got to have confidence in our 8, 9, 10, 11. The ones that we have now, I think they are working very hard and they are doing the best that they can. And I don't think the batsmen really, to be honest, need to think about it or worry about it. I think if you play good cricket through the 50 overs and play according to the situation and what the demands of the game are, I think there's enough quality in that top seven to look after itself. And to look after itself.

[Reporter:] Just some time back when South Africa’s captain had come, he said that India doesn’t have a 6th bowler. Do you think that as Hardik is not in the team, a sixth bowler option is something that needs to be looked at?

[Rahul Dravid:] He just said the facts. The fact is that we will not be in a position to have a proper sixth option. We do have the option to call upon our wrong-footed, in-swinging menace [Virat Kohli]. And with the crowd behind him, I'd back him for a couple of overs there in a few wickets. The crowd was demanding his bowling in the last game. We came very close to giving him an over.

And then we've got Surya who can turn his arm over a little bit. And then Rohit's bowled a bit as well.

So, look, yeah, you're right. I mean, obviously, the sixth option is something that Hardik gave us. But you're right as well that we have been playing the last four games without the sixth bowling option. We also played a couple of games in the Australia series before the World Cup without the sixth option. We won two of our games, both in Mohali and in Indore, when we played only with five bowling options in those games as well.

So, we have responded really well to that challenge. Yes, of course, we probably won't have that sixth bowling option in these games. But the response of the team and the players has been really good when we have not had it. So, I think we have played enough games without having it. And we seem to have done pretty well.

[Reporter:] I wanted to ask about Surya, the manner in which he batted against England on a tricky pitch. Like you had earlier spoken about finding new scoring areas, like the way he batted, his range, like how satisfied were you? And is he trying anything different from what he does in T20 cricket? After that inning, has he changed something?

[Rahul Dravid:] No, I think like we said earlier, I think I was asked this question, when he was going through a little bit of a tough phase as well. And I think for him and for everyone else, constantly you have got to keep improving. You've got to keep evolving. You've got to keep getting better. And the more kind of situations he finds himself in and he comes out of it, like he did really well against England, the better he's going to get at it.

Yes, I mean, there are just in terms of just the areas in which he scores in T20 cricket and how quickly he has to go in T20 cricket. He's obviously been exceptional at that. And it's good to see that in one day cricket, he's also realizing that maybe at times you can give yourself a little bit more time to settle in. And then you know how dangerous he can be at the death.

So, it all really depends on situations. And I think he has that experience because he's played so much of domestic cricket. He's been around for the last 10 years. So just I think we're sort of relying a lot also on his experience to be able to read a situation really well. I mean, in the last game, which we played in Bombay [Mumbai], we had set a really good platform. So again, it was really nice to have someone like him. And he could almost go from ball one. It didn't kind of work out. He got out a bit quickly. But it was a perfect scenario for us, for him to just explode. And that score of 350 or something that we got, him going suddenly, that could have been 380. So that's a really nice cushion to have.

Other situations, like against England, when we have wickets down, then probably you need him to play a slightly different kind of role for a while and then look to go hard at the end.

So yeah, it's just that It's nice to have that experience of people like him and Jadeja at the back end just to be able to read that situation and play according to the situation. And that's really important in one-day cricket. T20 cricket sometimes, you know, you just have to play in one way. One day, sometimes lower down the order you can actually, you need to be able to be smart enough of how to read a game and read a situation.

[Reporter:] Two wickets used here, both behaved kind of differently. There was dew one day, there was no dew the other. Now, you've been associated with Eden Gardens as player and as IPL player and coach for a long time. Do you think this makes the conditions here a little difficult to read, especially for one-day games? And the other thing is the guy you almost gave a bowl at the Wankhede. How has he been able to keep away the noise of his birthday, 49, and the team?

[Rahul Dravid:] Yeah, no, firstly, I've given up on dew. Honestly, I don't read dew, man. I've just given up on it. I can never predict it. Neither can groundsmen, man. Half the time, they're telling me something, and then it's not.

So, but I think this tournament, I think the beauty of this tournament is that it has shown that if you bat first and you put good scores on the board, dew hasn’t been as much of a factor. The results haven't been as skewed as maybe even a lot of people thought leading into this tournament. So, I think that's a good thing. So, I don't think there needs to be too much into it. Yes, you need to be able to respond. I mean, obviously, when you are faced with that situation, then you need to be able to respond and see how to react to it and deal with it. But luckily, it's not been so much of a factor. So again here, like I said, I'm not really worried about it. It might come, it might not come. We just play according to what we think gives us the best chance to win in this game.

Yeah, and I think Virat's been really relaxed and as you can see in his performances, you know, batting really well for us, really keen to do well as he always is. So, look, I haven't noticed anything different. He's always been the same. He's always been professional, always been hardworking, always been switched on. So, nothing different. And no, I don't really think he's thinking too much about 49 and 50, and probably certainly not about his birthday getting a year older. But no, I think he's been really focused on winning the tournament and playing some good cricket for us. I think he's doing that really well.

[Reporter:] The weather in Kolkata, last two days, there was rain yesterday and today there was overcast. So, do you consider, before going into a match, to change the 11 according to the situation? Or do you like to go with the winning combination in this match?

[Rahul Dravid:] See, if there will be rain or dew, we can't do much about it, can't plan for it. So, we will not think much about it. You will come to know about our playing 11 tomorrow, but we won't be changing our playing 11 because of the weather. 

[Reporter:] With Hardik now out and it's early, the batting is now ending at 7. So, in that context, how important was Shubman and Shreyas getting those big runs in the last game for the entire batting piece to kind of come together before you enter the knockout?

[Rahul Dravid:] No, I think it's important that we are in good form. We're playing really good cricket. I think both of the guys, it was nice to see Shubman. And Shubman's obviously coming back. I think for him, he was in such good form and playing so well. It was just a little unfortunate for him that he picked up dengue at the start of the tournament. And it's taken him a little bit of time to get over that. I think we underestimate. You underestimate the kind of effect something like that can have on you, and then having to come out and play in the heat and travel. And it's been quite a hectic tournament as well.

So sometimes you do underestimate how much of an impact that can have on your body. It is really nice for him to be able to grind out some really good runs for us in Bombay.

And Shreyas as well, I think again he is someone who has been, he has batted well, but just hasn't, maybe in a few of the games, hasn't gone on and ticked on and got a big score.

So just for him to come out yesterday, and I mean a couple of days ago, and play in the manner that he did, just coming in straight away and recognizing that a platform had been set, a base had been set, and it was a good wicket, and We knew we needed to get 325, 330 plus on that kind of wicket and 320 we reckoned was par actually.

So, we wanted to go hard and for him to have that courage and the skill to be able to execute that performance knowing that he hadn't got runs in the last 2-3 games, I think speaks volumes about him as a person and his temperament. It's not easy to come out and play like that when you've had a couple of tough games behind you. And also, just the kind of support that he's received from the skipper and the rest of the team. I think it's a really good sign to see that both from his side and also just the kind of support he's been receiving and the confidence he's been receiving in spite of one or two games which might not have gone as well as he would have liked.

[Reporter:] Especially after the last couple of games, a lot of the focus has been on the fast-bowling group. But how good has Jadeja been, both with the bat and with the ball? And how significant does his role become now that Hardik’s not going to be available?

[Rahul Dravid:] Yeah, it's been exceptional. I think, you know, Jadeja, someone, if you look at the numbers, we look at stats, we look at data, we look at it quite a lot. I mean, he has been exceptional in this tournament.

Again, like you rightly said, because of how good our seamers have been and how fantastic it has been to watch them up front, The performances of people like Jaddu [Jadeja] and Kuldeep [Yadav] have probably gone slightly unnoticed. But I think his ability, and sometimes even having to bowl with a slightly wetter ball, because the ball has been slightly wet.

Just the kind of control that he's given us through the middle, the way the control he's given Rohit has been sensational. And just the areas he's bowled as well, I think every metric point tells us that he's up there with anyone in this tournament in terms of just the areas he's been able to hit, the speeds he's been able to bowl at. And there's a lot of good conversations around the group in our bowlers' meetings with him. And just to see him just in that kind of relaxed space and very clear about what he wants to do and what he wants to achieve. And just having that confidence to do that consistently over and over again has been fantastic. And then with the bat, again, just again, not easy for someone like him because bats at 7, doesn't play for three or four games, and then has to come in and again play quite an important innings every time. So that's the tough thing of guys who bat at 6 and 7. When you're batting in the top three, you know that every single game you're going to get an opportunity to play. Sometimes at six and seven, you're not really sure when you're going to get a chance. Or even sometimes you won't even get a game. Or you won't even get a hit like they haven't for the first two or three games, the way we batted. He's just come in and played critical knocks. Even the last one, he was able to really give us that little bit of a flip, a nice little 30 there. Got a 40 in the two games before that, I think. And so that's really good. And then his fielding is incredible, to have someone like him at point and taking some of the catches that he has.

So really great all-around package for us, and someone who's really had a fantastic tournament. A little bit maybe gone under the radar a bit.

 

[Reporter:] [inaudible]

[Rahul Dravid:] Yeah, the wicket looks good. So that's the first answer to the first question. It looks good. And like I said earlier, yeah, I mean, I think South Africa is playing really good cricket. They are second on the table. So compared to all the other nine teams in this competition, the other eight teams in the competition, other than the two of us. We are at the top of the table. So, it is a contest against two teams that are playing very good cricket. And they have played really well. I mean, they've also travelled across the country. And they've got a good balance in their side. Some of the batsmen, they've been putting up really big scores as well. So, they have been playing very well. So, whether they are the toughest or not, I think there are three or four other good teams in this tournament as well. Maybe some of them haven't clicked as well as they would have liked or they have had a tough run. But South Africa certainly has been playing very well.

[Reporter:] [inaudible]

[Rahul Dravid:] Our focus is the next match. We don’t think about the what we can or should do. The biggest thing is the next match. We have played 7 good matches, good cricket and that is because we haven’t thought ahead, or playing the finals or semi-finals. We are just thinking about the next match and who it is against. We are trying even not to think about who we are playing. You know, it's all about us. It's our preparation, our planning, and whether we can execute our skills. And I think everything that we are looking at, at this point of time is telling us that in every department we have executed our skills really, really well. And if we keep executing our skills, and if somebody outplays us and out beats us, then good luck. We shake their hand and walk away.

But at the end of the day, focus has to be on us and not really worry about who we are coming up against.

South Africa Captain Temba Bavuma pre-match press conference transcript

[Reporter:] You guys have had a pretty successful group campaign and so have India. And you can obviously see the sense of occasion around this.

Just how's everybody feeling and looking forward to playing India in this venue with this type of crowd?

[Temba Bavuma:] Yeah, there's a lot of excitement within our group. I guess excitement of the occasion of playing here at Eden Gardens, quite a lot of history about the ground, but obviously I think the more important one is coming up against India, who are an in-form side. We are an in-form side and we look forward to the opportunity to test our skills against this Indian team.

[Reporter:] Just on your own form, the rest of the guys are all making big runs. Just from your own self-belief perspective, how are you feeling about how you're playing and wanting to make a contribution to the side?

[Temba Bavuma:] Yeah, you always want to be making contributions. Like you said, the other batters are smashing it at the moment. I think I take comfort in the fact that I've been involved in some partnerships with Quinton [De Kock] up front. Obviously, you want to extend it. I guess from my side, maybe it's just one of those patches again where you're kind of scratching, but I think you've got to keep that belief that the opportunity will be there for me to make a big play within the team. I think that's where my head is at but a lot of comfort in the fact that we've been getting starts in that first 10 overs and obviously with the guys being in form they've been able to exploit that and play the way that they've played

[Reporter:] Up until now you've almost been able to sail under the radar in this World Cup. I know you guys have obviously gained attention as you've been successful. But here you are, suddenly it's the full glare of a game against India. Do you have discussions about not getting swept up by the occasion or do you just try and look past it?

[Temba Bavuma:] Yeah, we definitely do. I think from the start of the tournament we spoke about just trying to take it game by game, staying as present as we can. I believe we've done that very well. Obviously, like you've just said, the noise around the team, that's grown, but I think it's for us to control our spaces within the team but I guess also draw energy from I guess the positive sentiment that's floating in and around the team. Probably hard for us to keep going as the underdogs, but I think in terms of the team, everything still stays the same. We don't see ourselves any different. We'll still take it day by day, game by game.

[Reporter:] Quinton yesterday spoke about your form. And he said that you look good, and you're hitting the ball good, you just, I think you said, you managed to find a way to get yourself out. And then you also said, but the team believes that you being you, you will come up with a big play for them when the team most need it.

Just firstly, is it frustrating to feel that you're in-form and then just manage to get out? And secondly, how much confidence do you take out of the fact that you have that sort of backing from your teammates, that they just believe in you and that you will come right somewhere along the line?

[Temba Bavuma:] Yeah, I take a lot of confidence from that. That's something that I feel every day within the team. And I think it's probably due to the fact that there's a group of batters who've been with each other for the last three or four years, however long it's been. We've seen each other go through the little ups and the downs and we know that all of us mentally have what it takes to get over, I guess, the little challenges that we face.

I guess for me, I just need to keep sticking to my processes, keep preparing as well as I can and if I'm doing that, hopefully the result will take care of itself.

Mentally, obviously got to keep staying there. There's still got a lot of cricket to go within this tournament. And I believe that I'll have a part to play somewhere within the tournament.

[Reporter:] I think everybody is aware of the dangers that are posed by this Indian attack and stuff. And like you said, you guys try to stick to your processes. And I'm pretty sure you guys know what their threats are but when you see a previous game like they did against Sri Lanka and you see they shoot these guys out 55 - does that even make you more weary or is that just something you sort of like feel, well it happened, we just have to move on?

[Temba Bavuma:] No, I think, I mean, you respect the strength and the threats that they bring. It's obviously a world-class bowling attack in their condition, so they know everything about these conditions. So as bad as we do now, we're going to have to have our A games up come tomorrow. But when I say we stick to our processes, we prepare as well as we can. We try to cover all our bases, make sure that we're not surprised by anything, and get ourselves into a space where we can play our best cricket.

[Reporter:] You mentioned drawing positive vibes from what's happening around the team. Now, sport unites a country. How important has this campaign been, the way it's been so far for South Africa?

[Temba Bavuma:] I think it's been a good journey. I think every day we've grown in belief and confidence as a team. We obviously came here with the aim of getting to the end. And we're getting closer and closer to that. And with that happening, with the performances that we've put up, it's definitely strengthened us within the team. We've obviously taken note of outside the team, everything that is happening, the performances and success of the rugby team back home, and the positive energy that we've gotten from the rugby boys as well.

But I think with that all being said, I think we still want to stay a lot more drawn to each other as a team, control what we can control within the team, regulate our emotions as much as we can and make sure we're in the best space possible to play our best cricket the way we want to do it.

[Reporter:] Have you talked about not to choke in this important match because always they're called and this strong batting must have wiped away that tag to a certain extent.

[Temba Bavuma:] To choke? I don't know how to answer that. I think if we come unstuck tomorrow, I don't think it'll be a matter of choking. I doubt you would say that about India as well if they come unstuck if they would choke.

You got two teams who are in-form, coming up against each other and I think it's just a matter of who breaks first and who's able to I guess, exploit that moment or that weakness. We understand that there will be pressure moments within the World Cup, moments that we've overcome to get to this point, and there will still be more. We'll deal with them as best as we can. But yeah, I haven't heard that word come up as of yet in the training.

[Reporter:] Since the beginning of the tournament, South Africa is literally in a blasting mode. And we can see that in every match is you are achieving new highs. But as far as the Eden pitch is concerned, we normally see that the first innings average batting score is 245 and second innings is 206. So, what will be the strategy for that?

[Temba Bavuma:] Our strategy, I haven't seen the wicket yet. So, I think first and foremost, that's where we'll start. Once we've had a look at the wicket, we'll obviously see what our team would look like. If possible, I'd like to play both our front-line spinners, but we'll see how that comes about. And then once we're in the game, again, we've got to assess the conditions, take note of the fact that what the average score is. But we believe that with the makeup of our team, we can get any score that we can.

I think we are mindful of the fact that it won't be like Delhi, where it's a quick scoring ground. We might have to graft a lot more. You might have to hit a lot more balls on the ground. But all of that will happen tomorrow. We won't go in today with too many preconceived ideas.

[Reporter:] One of the most positive characteristics of Indian bowling is their pace bowling attack and they are picking up wickets within the first 10 overs regularly. So, do you have any specific plan how to tackle them within the first power play?

[Temba Bavuma:] I think it will just go to assessing the conditions to be honest. We'll see what their threats are. Like you said those are bowlers who if they swing, they'll exploit the swing, if there's nip, they'll do the same. If it means that we have to be a lot more compact early on, so be it. But it will really be about what the conditions are dictating and forcing us to play.

[Reporter:] [inaudible]

[Temba Bavuma:] Again, I think it will depend on the conditions. Like you said, Kuldeep Yadav, he's bowled very well. He's been taking wickets for them in the middle, in conjunction with Jadeja. So, they've been quite key within that middle phase. I think we've played spin quite well as a team over the last couple of years. So, it'll be a good test for us batters as to how we come up against that challenge of Yadav as well as Jadeja.

[Reporter:] Just on the attack, I mean you've obviously come up against some quality attacks thus far. Can you just describe a little more on what kind of challenge you expect them to present? I mean you've faced some of these guys before and kind of how you think your own bowlers stack up against them?

[Temba Bavuma:] Yeah, their bowlers, I mean, you don't get a lot of bad balls. Like I said, the three-up front, Bumrah, Siraj, as well as Shami, are guys who can exploit anything with that new ball. If there's swing, if there's nip, they can exploit that quite attacking bowlers as well, so I guess with that there comes an opportunity to score.

But you really got to be on your A game with that new ball. Then obviously they've got their spinners in the middle who really hold the game, in Yadav as well as Jadeja, Yadav has that ability to take wickets. So, I think the way we've played spin has been good. I think there will be a big expectation for us to do that.

They obviously only have five bowlers, so they can, I guess, be put under pressure if one of their bowlers is not on their day. But yeah, I think you've got to probably respect their bowling attack a little bit more than the other bowling attacks. And understand that you're going to have to play good cricket for longer periods.

[Reporter:] You said it's a historic place here because 10 of your players made their debut here at this ground. So, what do you expect for your team to perform?

Because as per the wicket, what do you expect from Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj to perform here?

[Temba Bavuma:] Yeah, if the wicket assists the spinners, you'll definitely see those two. And I mean, we saw why Keshav did the previous game. On the wicket they probably didn't offer a great deal of spin but he was able to be super successful. We saw Tabraiz Shamsi as well in Chennai as well showing what he did coming off the bench.

I think that the strength of our team has been around that, these guys coming off the bench and putting in the performances. I think there's not any additional pressure on those two guys. They'll just do what they've been doing and we'll support and back them all the way.

I think in terms of the stadium as well, I think it's just to say the occasion of playing at Eden Gardens. But i

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