Ten Doeschate: You want to go towards pressure
Defending champions India face former champions West Indies in virtual quarter-final in Kolkata
India, as modern giants of the game, are used to dealing with high expectations and the pressure that comes along with it. The Asia Cup final was about not losing to their biggest historic rivals. The last T20 World Cup final was about easing the pain of 2023 and delivering titles for the team's legends. Both times, on the back of some individual brilliance and by holding their nerves better than their opponents, they came good. But this time, there's a different kind of pressure.
A premature exit for the defending champions in the Super Eight stage of a home World Cup would be looked at like disaster.
India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate made it clear that India's approach against West Indies on Sunday would be to avoid overplaying the stakes. He also said that feeling the pressure is not a negative and he wouldn't be insulating his players from it. He framed it like a privilege more than a burden.RelatedCan West Indies make up for bowling gulf in virtual quarter-final against India?
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"I think the important thing is to focus on ourselves, focus on what has got this group to this point, how well they've done," ten Doeschate said. "It's about big players standing up, experienced players standing up and just remaining calm and staying true to the way we've played leading up to this match. I don't think you ever want to mask the pressure. I think you want to go towards pressure. And that's been the message throughout, not just the World Cup, but certainly all the bilateral series.
"All our preparation has been towards embracing pressure when it comes. We're continually telling the guys what a privilege it is to play for your country, what a privilege it is to walk out at Eden Gardens and play for a match to stay in the tournament."In 2016, David did beat Goliath. So that's what I'm going to tell my boys tomorrowWest Indies coach Daren Sammy
Across the square, Daren Sammy, who was coaching his team in the afternoon, looked at the contest through a different lens. If India have risen to being the benchmark, Sammy is comfortable feeling like challengers. He also joked about now going from the neutral Kolkata fans' favourite across the group stage to suddenly feeling like potential villains.
"Well, I would say history could repeat itself, although it was a different venue" Sammy said, bringing up West Indies' win over India in the 2016 semi-final in Mumbai. "In order for you to win this tournament, you have to go through India at some point. Tomorrow is that day for us.West Indies have won one game and lost one game in the Super Eight stage•Matt Roberts/ICC/Getty Images
"And I'm pretty sure they'll have, what, 80,000 [67,000] here tomorrow and then another 1.4 billion supporting India. You know, so it will still feel as, you know, a David and Goliath showdown. But like I said in 2016, David did beat Goliath. So that's what I'm going to tell my boys tomorrow. All my soldiers, they're ready for battle tomorrow."
"To be fair to you, the fans have been nice. They still say best of luck, but I ask them, 'do you mean it?' But, yeah, I'm not surprised. Obviously, we are most people's second-favorite team, but, you know, we are playing against, you know, their favorites."
India, minus Rinku Singh - who is set to join the squad late on Saturday - arrived to the usual buzz outside the stadium, youngsters lining the barricades and calling out names. The players walked past largely unsmiling, headphones on, locked in. Yet once inside, the intensity softened as there were photographs with support bowlers, autographs for fans, and a session that lasted under two hours despite a three-hour window.
The work in training was specific. Axar Patel took the bat and alternated between Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav. Shivam Dube rehearsed short balls and wide yorkers. Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan batted in turns against Mohammed Siraj and offspin, while in the adjacent net, Abhishek Sharma faced a diet of short balls from pacers under the watchful eye of batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, before head coach Gautam Gambhir stepped in for a quiet word. Varun Chakravarthy focused on hitting a consistent good-length area, operating within four marked zones.
West Indies had a relaxed afternoon. There was laughter between drills, but also a steady stream of left-arm wristspin in the nets, perhaps with one eye on Kuldeep Yadav.
India have spoken about preparation and trust in their methods. West Indies have spoken about belief and history. Only one of these philosophies will come up trumps on Sunday.