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CRICKET-WC-2019-IND-NZL-TENDULKAR
No ‘panic’ for Tendulkar as India slump before World Cup
NEW DELHI, May 27, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – India must not press the panic button
despite losing badly to New Zealand in their first warm-up game for the World
Cup, the country’s batting legend Sachin Tendulkar said.
New Zealand thrashed India, one of the World Cup favourites, by six wickets
at the Oval on Sunday with only Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya scoring
more than 20 in India’s total of 179.
India’s batsmen were “blown away” on the green wicket, the Hindustan Times
said, sounding the alarm for their World Cup hopes. But Tendulkar called for
calm.
“I will not judge the team after each and every game. It’s a tournament and
things like these will happen,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by the Press
Trust of India news agency.
“The main tournament has not even started yet. I think, we need to settle
down, one or two games may go here and there.
“India should make the most of the practice matches,” added Tendulkar, the
highest scorer in Test and one-day cricket.
“They should understand what kind of surfaces they might get. I won’t panic
at all as of now.”
New Zealand begin their World Cup against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on June 1,
while India face South Africa in Southampton on June 5.
Tendulkar also said teams used warm-up games to try different players,
which was another reason not to read too much into the results.
“Teams are trying different combinations,” he said. “Almost all teams are
not sure about their front-line playing 11. Several bowlers and batsmen are
rested,” he said.
“All the teams are preparing and trying different combinations in those
conditions which would work for them,” said the former opener, who played in
six World Cups.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1156 hrs