Exactly eight years to the day Australia humiliated India in the World Cup final, the sides were at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera today, preparing for round 2. There are only two survivors from that March 23, 2003, game in the current Australian side — captain Ricky Ponting and fast bowler Brett Lee. In contrast, six of India’s starting XI in this Cup campaign were in that 125-run defeat at the Wanderers.
Never one to miss the chance to make a point, Ponting said he would be watching that 2003 video a few times before tomorrow’s quarterfinal. A lot has changed since that game — both sides have seen an influx of youth, Australia has slid, and India has risen. And yet, say members of the Indian team management, the fear of losing to the Australians on cricket’s biggest stage lurks in the background like a dark shadow.
“One can’t dismiss the fear of losing, we have to just accept it,” said Paddy Upton, India’s mental conditioning coach, wearing a poker face.
While the players are certainly nervous, Upton said, the only way to deal with the fear of losing was to take every possible precaution in preparations.
“It’s exactly like the fear of death, it is an eventuality. But one can’t live their lives thinking about it. As far as Australia are concerned, we have gotten the right insurances to go ahead by relegating the fear of losing to the minimum. We have prepared immensely hard, but while accepting that, one of the teams has to lose.”
Indian skipper M S Dhoni, one of those who does not bear the scars of defeat to Australia in a World Cup game, has often emphasised that coach Gary Kirsten and his team of South African assistants are responsible for turning India into a winning unit.
The pressure on Kirsten to bring home the World Cup is immense, but the former South African opener said he was dealing with Thursday’s match in just the way he had done with every other high-pressure game during his tenure.
“Thursday is just another day in my life. The aim is to not get too emotional about it and take it as just another day in office. When we take the emotions out of it, it is easier to deal with all the pressure and thoughts of failure. Winning and losing is part of the job and either way, life goes on,” Kirsten said.
If India lose, life goes on, but Kirsten’s stint as coach ends. Is the coach losing sleep before what could be his last game with India?
“Not me, I’m going to get a very good night’s sleep,” Kirsten said.
Bowling coach Eric Simmons, while watching the boys play a game of football, said the team wasn’t giving undue importance to the game.
“One of the reasons we played football today instead of having more meetings was to keep the routine going. We wanted to ensure that it doesn’t feel like a momentous day. Even our dressing room discussions aren’t out of the ordinary, and neither have we attached too much importance to the game. The point is to keep it regular for the players, and not get overwhelmed by the situation.”
Never one to miss the chance to make a point, Ponting said he would be watching that 2003 video a few times before tomorrow’s quarterfinal. A lot has changed since that game — both sides have seen an influx of youth, Australia has slid, and India has risen. And yet, say members of the Indian team management, the fear of losing to the Australians on cricket’s biggest stage lurks in the background like a dark shadow.
“One can’t dismiss the fear of losing, we have to just accept it,” said Paddy Upton, India’s mental conditioning coach, wearing a poker face.
While the players are certainly nervous, Upton said, the only way to deal with the fear of losing was to take every possible precaution in preparations.
“It’s exactly like the fear of death, it is an eventuality. But one can’t live their lives thinking about it. As far as Australia are concerned, we have gotten the right insurances to go ahead by relegating the fear of losing to the minimum. We have prepared immensely hard, but while accepting that, one of the teams has to lose.”
Indian skipper M S Dhoni, one of those who does not bear the scars of defeat to Australia in a World Cup game, has often emphasised that coach Gary Kirsten and his team of South African assistants are responsible for turning India into a winning unit.
The pressure on Kirsten to bring home the World Cup is immense, but the former South African opener said he was dealing with Thursday’s match in just the way he had done with every other high-pressure game during his tenure.
“Thursday is just another day in my life. The aim is to not get too emotional about it and take it as just another day in office. When we take the emotions out of it, it is easier to deal with all the pressure and thoughts of failure. Winning and losing is part of the job and either way, life goes on,” Kirsten said.
If India lose, life goes on, but Kirsten’s stint as coach ends. Is the coach losing sleep before what could be his last game with India?
“Not me, I’m going to get a very good night’s sleep,” Kirsten said.
Bowling coach Eric Simmons, while watching the boys play a game of football, said the team wasn’t giving undue importance to the game.
“One of the reasons we played football today instead of having more meetings was to keep the routine going. We wanted to ensure that it doesn’t feel like a momentous day. Even our dressing room discussions aren’t out of the ordinary, and neither have we attached too much importance to the game. The point is to keep it regular for the players, and not get overwhelmed by the situation.”
