NEW DELHI : India may have been impressive in their World Cup opener against Pakistan, but former pacer Ajit Agarkar feels a sterner test awaits Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s side when they take on a much stronger South Africa in their second pool match tomorrow.
“You will always get a tougher test against South Africa, no doubt. Pakistan batting and the South African batting, there is a massive difference,” Agarkar, who represented India in 26 Tests and 191 ODIs in his nine-year international career, said.
“Both their batting and bowling has to work, you can’t really rely on one department. You cannot win a World Cup with just one department working. Having said that they bowled really well against Pakistan. Dhoni led the team very well. They were attacking which is what you want in one-day,” the former player, who analyses the World Cup on ESPNcricinfo’s video show ‘Match Point’, told PTI.
Agarkar opined that with field restrictions on, wickets are the key and the bowlers looked very positive against Pakistan.
With the batsmen rising to the challenge, Agarkar said Virat Kohli, who scored a match-winning ton against Pakistan, and Dhoni will be crucial for India once again.
“Look Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni are two key guys that need to perform for India to do well. They have to perform consistently through the World Cup, if they perform, the Indian batting will always look good. There will be 3-4 guys who will support them but Kohli and Dhoni need to be in form for India to do well,” he said.
“Fortunately for India, Shikhar Dhawan is in a bit of form, which you need desperately at the top of the innings. Rohit (Sharma) had a really good hundred at the start of the tri-series. I mean it’s probably the best I have seen him bat in a one-day game,” he said. (AGENCIES)
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