10 March - Hamilton - India coach Shiv Sundar Das post-match press conference
Media Manager: Welcome, everyone to today's press conferences at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022. We have India batting coach Shiv Sundar Das with us.
Reporter: Hard loss coach. My question to you is about what Mithali had mentioned in the post-match chat about the top order not getting going at the correct run rate. Just in general the strike rotation has been an issue for now. Is that something that the team management is trying to address? How are you trying to address it? What's been the talk around just keeping the scoreboard ticking If the boundaries are not coming in the initial part?
Coach: I think the top order has to fire and after one day we're playing the West Indies. So definitely we'll come back stronger in the West Indies game.
Reporter: My question for you - that in light of the batting performance today, Where do you think are the improvement areas for the Indian team, with a match against West Indies coming in the next 48 hours?
Coach: I think the top order obviously has to fire and I think we have the high power to go deeper in the tournament and obviously, we're looking at the top order, and once you get going in the first 10-15 overs I think we can put up a good score on the board.
Reporter: I wanted to know what was the decision behind having three left handers at the top with an off-spinner bowling
Coach: I think if you see our top order I think it was an experienced top order – with Smriti batting at the top order - we thought like, we could get some runs at the top order, but maybe we have to think about this decision in the next game.
Reporter: So, do you think the tactical side you were pretty on a downside since you - with three left handers at the top for the New Zealanders to expose your batsman with off spin and all – do you think that tactical side was a bit downside.
Coach: I don't think so. I think New Zealand bowled well, in that phase if you see the first 10-15 overs, they bowled well, they bowled the tight lines, so obviously we have to work on, we have one day to go before the next game. So obviously our focus is again on the first 10-15 overs and I think definitely we have - that is what I said we have the experience and we have the backing, it’s just that that we have to go and use our experience in the next game.
Reporter: So my question was, what was the logic behind dropping Shafali Verma today and do you think it's fair to like give a player only one match in the World Cup and then drop them – was she available for selection?
Coach: I think she got a fair chance for last seven eight games and I thought we could give her a break. Obviously, she's a really talented batter. And I hope she will – in this break she gets going and she'll come back stronger in the next games.
Reporter: A follow up question, so like considering Yastika opened today, she's never opened for India before in the -other than in the warm up matches - so like do you think even that also might be a reason why they struggled to get the scoreboard moving because she doesn't have enough experience at the international level opening the innings.
Coach: I think what we have seen in the practice matches and before matches. She's a really good bat and she has the strokes – with the top order batter, as opener she did well, so we thought like she will come good, but she has just played one game. I hope she will come good in next matches
Reporter: Actually, I have a follow up question to that only coach. Just want to know what was conveyed to Yastika today before she went out to bat, what exactly was the team looking for from her? Was she been looked at as an aggressive opening batter who's directly replacing Shefali Verma?
Coach: Yeah that was the plan -to go hard to start, I think you have to give credit to the New Zealand bowlers - the way they bowled to her. And I'm sure like she just played one game I'm sure she's going to come good in the next matches.
Reporter: Amelia Kerr had a great series against India in the bilateral engagement. What were the discussions like in the dressing room or around dealing with this player who seems to be in amazing form with the bat and ball - and did any of your plans come off in your opinion? How do you tackle you know a player like this who can strike with both bat and ball on a consistent basis as she has shown with the 5-50s and the wickets?
Coach: I think if you see the last series against New Zealand we played – she did pretty well and coming to the game, we had some plans but the wicket was good to start with and she did bat well in the spin. And bowling wise. I think she has got variety, a lot of variety. And she did a good job for the team.
Reporter: Given India has not been fielding a leg spinner What have the preparations been like in the nets when it comes to handling leg spinners?
Coach: I think yeah, we had Poonam. She's a talented bowler and obviously at nets we try different variations our leg spinners using the footwork and the strike rotation. And I'm sure like in the next few games we're going to see a different approach from our batters.
Reporter: Amelia Kerr is one of those bowlers who have often known for the googly, but it seemed today that the Indian batters were struggling to pick the googlies and often playing for the length - is that something that you have worked on in the preparation to the match?
Coach: Yeah, we have, over the whole series played against New Zealand and we picked a few variations of her during matches and also through a lot of videos. I think it's just matter of picking the right line and right length and obviously, in few games like what we played – she bowled really well to our batters. We're looking to go forward and the next game is obviously West Indies and we'll definitely have a break tomorrow and come back stronger next game.