Published: Feb 26, 2025, 09:42 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 26, 2025, 09:42 PM (IST)
Former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput, who was the manager of the team that went on to win the 2007 T20 World Cup, believes that the current India side should go on to win the Champions Trophy in convincing fashion.
“This Indian team looks ruthless. They try to dominate and win every game. They don’t want to give the opponents a chance to come back into the game. That is the attitude. And the way they are playing, I think they should win the Champions Trophy convincingly,” Rajput told PTI.
Rajput is currently the head coach of UAE cricket team, and watched Virat Kohli score his 51st ODI century in the six-wicket win over Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, and he now expects skipper Rohit Sharma to smash his way to a big hundred.
“So Virat got a 100. All boxes are ticked. Now it’s only up to Rohit to get a big 100. Indian team have a clear instinct that that will just finish their opponents. We have always seen that India play better when the platform is big,” Rajput added.
The veteran coach also advised the team to not take any opposing team lightly. He added that the Men in Blue must make sure to perform at their best at all times.
“See, in cricket, you cannot take it lightly. Every game is important, because if you take one or few overs lightly, that can change the game as well. So we have got to be at our best every time. We don’t want to relax at any moment,” Rajput said.
“Both the games India has won comfortably. But in cricket, we can’t say anything, we have to take one game at a time. We don’t have to take New Zealand lightly. New Zealand is a better team (than Pakistan and Bangladesh), they have also won both the games and their morale is also high,” Rajput added.
With the team in great form, Rajput doesn’t want the team management to make any changes for the upcoming match against New Zealand, which is only of academic interest as both India and New Zealand are already through to the semi-finals.
“I don’t think they will try anything (new) because when the team is doing well, you go with the same momentum. Unless there is some injury, or somebody wants to be rested, but I don’t think there will be any change. It’s up to the management because there are few days in between. But I would always say that you always continue with the winning team,” Rajput said.
