22 October - Chennai - Afghanistan Coach Jonathan Trott pre-match press conference
[Reporter:]
So going back to the England game, we saw your spinners, Rashid and Mujeeb, making quite an impact.
The spinners made quite an impact in that game and now you're in Chennai where the track is considered a spinners den. Also, you have been here and practicing for nearly a week now. So how confident are you that your spinners can pull off another upset against the Pakistan?
[Jonathan Trott:]
The thing is - with spinners, there are only two or three of them playing a game. And it's the other eight as well that have to play the game so that's important. So, it's everybody's job it's not just the spinners job to win games. There's batsmen who've got to put runs on the board or batsmen who've got to chase down a total. So yes, the spinners are important and getting our selection is key for the fixture but it's a team effort. There's no reliance on just spinners. There's seam bowlers as well who've got to bowl well and bowl well in whatever conditions we're confronted with.
[Reporter:]
How is a wicket like, there will be spinners for both sides? And you see most of the teams have been talking about sorting out Rashid Khan. I mean, you know, the last few matches he got only one wicket. So how is it like, you know, mental mindset for this game?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Sorry, you've asked a few questions here. Let me answer the first one. The pitch obviously, I'm not sure. Chennai is normally a good wicket. So, with regards to the mindset, it's important, as I said, the mindset we have there is that it's a team game. It's not just a spinners game they play. There's seamers and there's fielders as well. So, everybody's got to put in a good team performance if we want to beat the likes of a strong side like Pakistan. But we've had an ODI series against them recently where we should have won a few games. We didn't. So hopefully we can put that right tomorrow night.
[Reporter:]
You spoke about playing a recent series against Pakistan. And Azmat has also played a bit of PSL. So, I believe he's played with Peshawar under Babar’s captaincy so how much of that intel would sort of help you into this game?
[Jonathan Trott:]
It's not just the people who you have played with - it's a whole team's responsibility every time we play against an opposition to have a look and see what areas they are or how are we going to get them out in the future, if we face bowlers you know how we're going to be able to score runs against him or play against him in the future. It's not just one player, perhaps he's got a bit of inside info, he's practiced with them or sort of spent a bit of time off the field. I think it's the responsibility of everyone and us as coaches as well to come up with plans to execute tomorrow night.
[Reporter:]
do you think this is a must-win game for Afghanistan, the fifth match having lost three out of four?
[Jonathan Trott:]
Every game is a must-win game. This is a World Cup and every game is important. So, I don't see the other matches just as more important as this. There's a bit of rivalry as well with this game. So, I guarantee you, my side is very, very excited and looking forward to hopefully pulling away a win.
[Reporter:]
Before this World Cup, Pakistan Cricket Board requested ICC to shift the venue of Pakistan-Afghanistan match. Do you think this is weak link for Pakistan that they are fear about spin bowling of Afghanistan?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I didn't know about that but, as in I didn't know about them wanting to, I'm not sure about changing the venue, I have no idea about that, but I think, you know, Pakistan have got good spinners themselves. So, I don't, again, it's not a case of the spinners for me. It's a case of everyone doing their job. You know, when the ball's in the air, catching it. When the ball's on the ground, fielding it. And when you're batting, when you've got your bat in your hand, making sure that you're representing the side well and doing what the team needs you to do. And that's it at that situation.
[Reporter:]
Last match, Azmat took two wickets in one over but coming to Pakistan and Afghanistan both the teams have lost, Pakistan lost two and Afghanistan lost one in last two matches. Both will be trying to get points. So, it is a big challenge, do you think? And what you have learned from the failures of last match, the fielding, seven catches dropped, batting collapsed. So, you must have come with a new plan for this match.
Azmat took two wickets in one over. So, people were thinking that spin will be shining in this match. But the fast bowler were good too.
[Jonathan Trott:]
That's what I'm saying. So, it's not just about the spinners. Everyone's got a bowl well. Yeah, and obviously dropped catches don't help, especially when you win the toss and bowl first, you want to put the opposition under pressure. We had an opportunity to do that with New Zealand, and we had them, I think it was about 115 for four as well at one stage. You know, we let them get away. So, obviously the things you'd like to do differently, there's things you could do better, and we'll be looking tomorrow to do that.
[Reporter:]
You spoke about the rivalry between that exists between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Like, you've been with Afghanistan for a while. Could you just talk to the players, what does it feel like for this rivalry? Like, could you just explain in words, like, what does it mean for Afghanistan players about this new age rivalry?
[Jonathan Trott:]
I think for them it's a rivalry that excites them. I think it's a rivalry that sometimes in the past has been very passionate. We've seen Asia Cup clashes and matches that have been very exciting. No closer than the T20 Asia Cup last year where it went down with Pakistan won by one wicket.
So, we've had very close games as well. So, they've been very good, very interesting and exciting games. Hopefully tomorrow isn't very exciting and we win by a lot. But I'm sure we'll see an exciting game tomorrow. It's just the nature of the rivalry, I should say. And both teams, I think, respect each other, but are very desperate to win. So, I'm looking forward to it.
[Reporter:]
The two games where you were batting first, is there a sense of freedom when you are setting a target rather than chasing? And considering the quality of bowling attack, not only the spinners, even the paces have been fairly good. So, would you prefer to put a total, irrespective dew and things out of the equation and just focus on putting a runs on board and just use age old one day cricket, going back to the 90s, 2000s, put runs on board and then restrict the opposition on a pitch where it could become slow and your spinners are probably the best in the world.
[Jonathan Trott:]
Yeah, I think it's a valid point, I think. As you've seen throughout the World Cup, you know winning the toss doesn't necessarily mean that you've got an advantage in the game. So, it's about making sure whatever you do first, you put the opposition under pressure whatever you do first. So, if you're bowling first, you make sure you take your catches and you bowl accurately and you restrict them to a total you can chase. Irrespective of the pitch or the dew factors that come in.
So, we've got to play cricket well from the start. It's nothing to do with batting or bowling first. We've got to be better at the start. We saw against England we were good at the start and we managed to get a victory. Against New Zealand, we weren't that great and we put ourselves under pressure. So tomorrow, hopefully that turns around again.
[Reporter:]
Pakistan is coming to this match with two back-to-back defeats and both the defeats were for heaviest margins. So, do you think Afghanistan can exploit this situation for Pakistan and you know come harsh against them in this match?
[Jonathan Trott:]
We always look to put up put the opposition under pressure straight away so we'll be looking to do that tomorrow obviously. So, I don't think there's any thoughts with regards to their previous matches. I think when Afghanistan plays Pakistan, I think there's you know that a lot of form doesn't come into the game. There's a lot of other things that come into the game with regards to the rivalry and the history of and the passion of everything. So, we know the Pakistan team will be very determined to win tomorrow and certainly want to sort of snap that losing streak of the two games that you just mentioned.
But again, we want to win just as much as they do, so that should be good.