India seek redemption in Ahmedabad final

 

Team India eyeing redemption in Ahmedabad. Image: Debasis Sen

You mention Ahmedabad and a big final, and inevitably the mind goes back to November19, 2023. India had played a stellar World Cup, had won every game and looked unstoppable. And then Ahmedabad happened. A Travis Head masterclass and Rohit Sharma’s India were stopped in their tracks. Pat Cummins managed to silence a crowd of more than a lakh, and Indian cricket struggled for months to overcome the scar.

Australia outclassed India by six wickets- a file photograph from 2023 November Ind vs Aus. Image: Revsportz

Now we are back in Ahmedabad. Rohit will also be there in the stands as the brand ambassador of the tournament. If India wins, it will be redemption for him as well. While you do not need any motivation in a World Cup final, Rohit’s presence and the setting of Ahmedabad add a further layer to the occasion.

Each one of us who follows the sport religiously can feel the tension. You sense it whenever you read or speak about it. You know India have the edge and you also know it is New Zealand – the same team that tormented South Africa in the semi-final. That brings me to the dreaded word: pressure. Who handles it better? Who treats it as a privilege? Who wants to enjoy the occasion and entertain the crowd? And finally, who does not get bogged down by the expectations?

Maybe this is where India have the edge. For New Zealand, it is another World Cup final. They have played a few in the last few years and, back home in Auckland for example, it is not a matter of life and death. While it will be a massive victory for a team that is not always given its due, it is not as if the entire country will sing or cry with the eleven who will be out there in Ahmedabad.

For India, it is an occasion – a spectacle of humungous proportions and a life-changing scenario. Surya will forever be known for this and Gautam Gambhir’s stint as coach will have taken a 180-degree turn. To defend the crown will be spectacular and, having done so at home, India will have rewritten the record books. That is what you want to do in sport: make it count when the stakes are at their highest. Ahmedabad adds to the occasion and a win will mean the jinx is broken.

For me, it will be my birthday gift. Nothing better than an Indian win to spice up the 50th. Cricket will have received a fillip and the IPL will start in a scenario of heightened positivity. For anyone in sport, it will be a boost and I am no different.

Finally, if you want one player to make a telling contribution in the final, it has to be Abhishek Sharma. The team has backed him and it could well be redemption time. All he needs to do is stay in the present. Play every ball on merit. Be smart. A boundary or a six off an off-spinner can be followed by a single. That is being smart and Gautam will want to have a quiet word with him. Abhishek with the bat and Varun with the ball could be the perfect ending for India – more so in Ahmedabad.

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