The Records Are Only For The Media And The Fans - Gautam Gambhir On New Zealand's Success Against India In ICC Tournaments
Updated - 20 Aug 2021, 05:18 PM
Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has opined that no team will have an advantage from past records and it will be an even contest between India and New Zealand in the T20 World cup. Gambhir has been part of the T20 World Cup win in 2007 and India’s only loss in the title-winning campaign in 2007 came against New Zealand.
Over the year, India hasn’t enjoyed much success against the Kiwis in ICC tournaments especially and has gone on to lose every match against New Zealand in an ICC tournament since the 2003 Worldcup. The streak continued into the 2019 Worldcup semi-finals and the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship as well.
Absolutely 50-50 – Gautam Gambhir on Predictions Over The Group Fixture
India and New Zealand are again placed in the same group in the ICC T20 Worldcup 2021 league stages. In a Star Sports Show, Gambhir opined that the past records won’t matter in a big tournament and the individual battles might come into frame. He added that India won’t start as favourites against Pakistan nor New Zealand won’t start as favourites against India.
“Absolutely 50-50. When you go to such a big tournament, the records are only for the media and the fans. The records do not matter for the players at all and they do not think about them as well.”
“Yes, you can think about your individual record. If a player is struggling against a particular bowler, that can be on his mind. But Pakistan having never won against India and India having never won against New Zealand, that never matters,” Gautam Gambhir told on Star Sports.
“India can definitely defeat New Zealand” – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir felt that India definitely has the firepower to beat New Zealand and named a few of the match winners from the Indian side. He added that New Zealand cannot be given the name of underdogs as they have an equal amount of power in the batting and bowling departments.
“India can definitely defeat New Zealand, you have the firepower. You have Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul – when you have batsmen and bowlers like these, it will not be easy for New Zealand.”
“We cannot say New Zealand are the underdogs because they are a very very well-balanced side. They have Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson, and they have the firepower in the batting. So, you will have to play good cricket,” he added.
India and New Zealand will battle in the T20 Worldcup on October 31 at the Dubai International Stadium in UAE.
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