Inzamam-ul-Haq: India Has Improved Its Game Immensely And Gone Ahead Of Pakistan And Sri Lanka Over The Last 10-12 Years
Inzamam-ul-Haq said the reason India has soared ahead of other Asia teams is because of the attention it has paid at different levels of cricket in their country as he highlighted the lopsidedness of the matches between the two countries.
From the IPL to a strong and robust domestic structure, Inzamam-ul-Haq credited the cricketing system in India as the reason behind the incredible strength displayed by India in terms of both performance and solid bench strength.
“Until 2010, there was intense competition among these three teams. But over the last 10-12 years, India has improved its game immensely and has certainly gone ahead of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The credit goes to the IPL for sure, but I must admit that India has focused a lot on its first-class cricket structure and that has played a huge role in its development,” Inzamam told Sportstar.
“The associations have got money and the players have got world-class facilities – in terms of training. India is reaping benefits of its robust domestic structure, whereas Pakistan and Sri Lanka have not been able to develop their first-class cricket that much.”
The 2019 World Cup in England was when the two teams last met at a neutral venue. India won that match by 89 runs. Pakistan and India’s last bilateral ties at either of the two neighbouring countries were 2 T20Is and 3 ODIs in India way back in 2012. Inzamam-ul-Haq belongs to a golden period of India-Pakistan cricket, the 1990s, and the early 2000s. Pakistan players have been banned from participating in the IPL and have featured in only one edition-the inaugural one in 2008.
Inzamam-ul-Haq: It Was Nearly Impossible To Beat Australia At Home, But A Bunch Of Youngsters Did The Incredible Job
The biggest example of it, as given by Inzamam-ul-Haq, is what India accomplished during its tour Down Under in Australia, when an injury-plagued team, in the absence of its star players, got together and beat Australia 2-1 on their home soil. The series saw the emergence of the likes of Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Rishabh Pant to name a few as India, against all odds, handed Australia their first defeat at the Gabba since 1988.
“Some 15 years ago, when a youngster came into the scene, he would get a few years’ time to settle down, but now, there is no breathing space. The moment one enters the scene, we expect performances from him,” Inzamam added.
Image Source: AP IMAGE
“Earlier, touring sides struggled against the Australian team despite having top cricketers in their ranks. It was nearly impossible to beat Australia at home, but a bunch of youngsters from India actually did an incredible job by defeating the Aussies in their backyard. And that’s why, your first-class structure needs to be top-notch – because it prepares you well. That is one area where Sri Lanka and Pakistan are slightly lagging behind.”
Team India managed to defeat Australia 2-1 in the four-match Test series despite missing players like Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, and KL Rahul during different parts of the contest.
India was bundled out for just 36 runs in their second innings in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide, losing the day/night Test by 8 wickets. India bounced back to win the second Test in Melbourne, showed remarkable resilience to draw the third Test in Sydney, and won the fourth Test in Brisbane for their second successive Test series triumph on Australian soil.