NEW DELHI, Feb 11: Feared for their no holds barred batting approach through the innings, India have realized the need to change gears following the scare in the T20 World Cup opener.
The management has been forced to reassess its plans after collapsing to 77 for six on a two-paced wicket against USA.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav had led from the front to bail the team out of serious trouble.
Tilak, who has come of age as a T20 batter in the last six months, underlined the importance of taking time in the middle if wickets fall in a heap.
The team has designated him and Suryakumar for that holding job at number three and four.
“We have talked about this, that we have done well at numbers three and four, so specially me and Surya Bhai, we take out the singles well, we can find the gaps, because you know the rest of the openers, Abhishek, who deals in sixes, Ishan is with him. Sanju Bhai is also there, he is going to hit, and you know the ones below, who are our powerful batsmen,” Tilak underlined a slight tweak in tactic if need arises.
“So I think in the tournament, the team that plays well between 6 and 16 overs, that team wins, so that’s why we are taking this responsibility, at 3 and 4, that we will take responsibility, and managed th pressure situation,” said the left-hander.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir too has emphasized on playing out an over or two in case wickets fall in a cluster.
“Gautam sir also didn’t say much to us, but he did say that when you are in such a pressure situation, to be honest, we had given 1-2 wickets more to the USA team, so at that time he said that we can read the conditions a little earlier.
“We know the aggressive approach. We have, at the same point, when the wickets fall, we can stop for 1-2 overs and accelerate again considering the depth of our batting,” said Tilak.
Tilak is also glad that he was able to regain full fitness for the T20 World Cup having undergone a groin surgery only last month.
While he was recovering, the southpaw visualized wining the World Cup final for his team. He also spoke about the time away from the game.
“First of all, when I don’t have bat in my hands for a couple of days, I feel strange. I feel as if I have come to a different world. I keep visualizing that I am playing in the World Cup final. I am playing in the big matches. I put myself under pressure. I will not think about it.
“It has become a habit since childhood. I have been holding the bat for so many years. It comes to my mind automatically before I go to sleep. That is why I don’t feel that I have a break. My mind is always in that zone,” he said referring to his rehab phase. (PTI)
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