KL Rahul plays down India’s injury worries ahead of NZ clash

“I don’t know too much but from whatever I know I think everything seems pretty okay,” Rahul mentioned on Friday. “There’s no real concerns about anyone missing games as far as I know. We’ll probably know more in today’s training.

“Yeah everybody’s been within the health club, everybody’s been at coaching the final time as effectively, so yeah [there were previously] some considerations however I do not suppose it is an excessive amount of.”

India, like New Zealand, go into this game knowing they have already qualified for the semi-finals. And for India, that semi-final will come two days later, on March 4. Will the short turnaround in games prompt India to rest anyone? “Luckily I’m not within the management group to should make that call,” Rahul said. “But I’m certain there might be some temptation and we’ve got been in these positions earlier than the place, if there is a chance, you may check out the gamers who have not gotten video games.

“But I don’t know if that will happen in a Champions Trophy. And I don’t know if that will happen in tomorrow’s game. We only have one day’s break before the semi-finals [but] we have gotten a six-day break now. So, we probably want all of the players to play the game and get a little bit of time in the middle. This is my version. I don’t know, it might be very different tomorrow.”

“I am not trying to compete with Rishabh or I am not trying to play like him. When he gets his opportunities, I am sure he is not going to try to play like anybody else. He is picked on the basis of how he can play and what he can provide for the team and the same applies to me.”

Rahul on holding Pant out

“But the nice factor is that we’ve got performed in Dubai earlier than. And we performed on pitches like this. We had a good understanding that once we come right here, this would be the problem. So we have been mentally slightly bit ready and we got here right here per week early and the apply we have been doing additionally had related wickets. It simply gave us slightly bit of time to get used to it.

“I think on such wickets, whoever is the set batter, the longer he plays, the better it is for the team. And that’s what gives you that extra 30-40 runs. Because if the wickets keep going, the new batters will find it a bit difficult.”

“So sure, there’s all the time the temptation for the crew as effectively, whoever is the captain, the coach… There’s all the time that temptation to both play him or play me. There’s all the time that.

“But yeah, for me, if I’m given the opportunity, I try and see what I can do best. I am not trying to compete with Rishabh or I am not trying to play like him. When he gets his opportunities I am sure he is not going to try to play like anybody else. He is picked on the basis of how he can play and what he can provide for the team and the same applies to me. So I try and do what I do best and try and stick to my game.”

“He’s very accurate. That’s something that not many people talk about. Everyone talks about how he’s gifted and how he can get the ball to seam in any condition and how upright his seam is. But not many people talk about how accurate he is and how sharp he is.”

Rahul on Shami

In his function as keeper, Rahul additionally had excessive reward for Shami. “Funnily, somehow, in every game he’ll make sure that I’m diving full-length,” Rahul quipped. “He gives me one or two opportunities to be brilliant behind the stumps or look stupid sometimes.

“With wicketkeeping, I feel [he’s] one of the few bowlers that the ball actually wobbles. Him and generally Bumrah when he bowls within the second or third spell. So that is been very difficult.

“And yeah, [Shami is] very accurate. That’s something that not many people talk about. Everyone talks about how he’s gifted and how he can get the ball to seam in any condition and how upright his seam is. But not many people talk about how accurate he is and how sharp he is. He can surprise you with his pace. Just the other day in the nets he hit me straight in the [helmet] badge. So, all of these things make him a very difficult bowler to play against.

“Really completely satisfied to have him again and I feel he is very near his finest.”